[man] For years, it has been "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
Tonight, as the 20th annual SummerSlam goes down,
an extraordinary Superstar will rise up.
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, 619… ♪
Tonight, it's the return of Rey Mysterio.
Can the high priest of high-flying,
the ace of air assaults,
the sultan of the 619,
take down the man who took him out?
Rey Mysterio faces Chavo Guerrero.
[dramatic music playing]
Then an "Animal" on the hunt.
I wanna challenge you for the World Heavyweight title.
[man] A "Punjabi Nightmare" on a roll.
[Cole] That vicelike grip, those hands engulfing the skull.
[man] Batista. The Great Khali.
A battle for the World Heavyweight Championship.
And…
[Orton] I end careers.
[man] He's a man with no conscience.
[Orton] I'm gonna be your worst nightmare.
[man] An opportunist with no soul.
[Ross] Come on, no!
[man] Sick.
-[man] Immoral. -[Ross] Evil.
[man] Focused.
"Legend Killer" Randy Orton
takes aim at the champ.
[Ross] Is Cena gonna be Randy Orton's next victim?
[music fades]
[man] WWE SummerSlam tonight.
It's "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
[music distorts, slows]
[beeping]
[man] Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.
He will be better than he was before.
[Cole] Take a look at this.
Raw's first draft pick is… is royalty.
[man] Better.
[King Booker] There's only one king in the WWE.
[man] Faster.
And he is not Triple H.
[man] Stronger.
He is I, King Booker.
Your bogus reign as "King of Kings" is over.
♪ Behold the king ♪
♪ The King of Kings ♪
♪ Bow down to the ♪
♪ Bow down to the king ♪
♪ The King of Kings ♪
♪ There is only one ♪
[music fades]
[man] And now WWE's 20th annual SummerSlam.
♪ Shake that ting like it's mardi gras ♪
♪ Girl, let me see your blah-di-blah ♪
♪ Shake that ting like it's mardi gras ♪
♪ Girl, let me see your blah-di-blah ♪
♪ Shake that ting, mm, shake that ting ♪
♪ To move your body, girl You must whine your waist ♪
♪ Shake that ting, mm, shake that ting ♪
♪ To move your body, girl You must whine your waist ♪
♪ Shake that ting, hey, shake that ting… ♪
[Cole] For the 20th straight year,
we welcome you to "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
This is SummerSlam.
You are looking live at a sold-out Continental Airlines Arena
in the shadow of the Big Apple.
17,441 fans.
We've been sold out since January.
Hello again, everybody. From SmackDown, I'm Michael Cole,
along with JBL, and, partner,
the World Championship is on the line tonight.
I'm not your partner, but the lights are on bright.
Michael, two championships on the line.
World championships, Hall of Famers returning.
We're gonna see a hell of a show tonight.
And speaking of Hall of Famers, joining us from Raw,
good old JR, Jim Ross, and Jerry "The King" Lawler.
Thank you very much.
Of course, John Cena's amazing journey as WWE Champion continues tonight.
Will Randy Orton end it? Plus, the big return of "The Game."
Oh, that's what gonna make this a great party for me.
I can't wait to see the mighty so-called King Booker
face the wrath of the returning Triple H.
Let's take you over to Joey Styles and Tazz.
JR, thank you,
and, Tazz, tonight the ECW Championship hangs in the balance.
Well, who's gonna leave
"The Biggest Party of the Summer" ECW Champion?
Will it be CM Punk? Will it be John Morrison?
Tonight, we find out.
[Kane's theme music playing]
[bell rings]
[Chimel] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring,
weighing in at 323 lbs,
Kane!
[Cole] And for the sixth time,
Kane will make an appearance at SummerSlam in his illustrious career,
and the ribs are still taped, John.
the victim of a vicious shillelagh attack
by his opponent, Finlay, tonight some weeks ago.
[Layfield] Ooh!
And that peaceful setting, Michael, that Kane walked through
with the palm trees, the sand, and the SummerSlam logo
is gonna give way to something that could be monkey-butt ugly.
We are about to see a physical war
with this man, Finlay.
[Finlay's theme music playing]
[Chimel] And from Belfast, Northern Ireland,
weighing in at 233 lbs,
Finlay!
[Cole] Two nights ago on Friday Night SmackDown,
Mr. McMahon gave Kane what he wanted,
and that is a matchup tonight with "The Fighting Irishman" Finlay.
This all started, John, a few weeks ago
when Finlay accidentally knocked a cup of coffee out of Jamie Noble's hands
and onto "The Big Red Machine," Kane.
[Layfield] And Finlay, unapologetic, went right after Kane.
Kane came after Finlay.
We got us right now smash-mouth wrestling at its very best.
[Cole] And as we mentioned earlier, John, those ribs of Kane are wrapped
because of a vicious attack with that shillelagh
some weeks back by Finlay.
[Layfield] To a guy like Finlay, it's called a bullseye.
[bell rings]
[Cole] And Kane with a big right hand,
dropping Finlay to the mat below.
And Kane with yet another right hand
in what, John, will be a physical matchup.
[Layfield] Physical? You think?
Two of the toughest guys to ever be in this sport,
Finlay and Kane.
They are gonna beat the living hell out of each other.
[Cole] And remember Kane had an opportunity
at the World Heavyweight Championship on SmackDown a couple of weeks ago.
[Layfield] Kane's already hurting. Look at him.
[Cole] Injured ribs that Finlay has targeted over the past few weeks.
Finlay, of course, getting involved in that matchup
as Kane was going for the World championship.
So, John, a lot on Kane's mind here tonight
as he tries to put away "The Fighting Irishman."
[Layfield] One-handed slam by Kane. Yeah, a lot is on Kane's mind right now.
He had a shot at a world championship.
That changed when Edge got hurt.
He had a shot at a world championship again.
That changed when Finlay took a shillelagh to Kane's ribs.
I don't think Kane is a very forgiving person.
[Cole] No, not at all. Remember what he did to Edge,
injuring Edge back in, uh, a couple of months ago,
and, well, really forcing Edge
to relinquish the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Layfield] And Kane is the one who ended The Rated-R Era.
Which I still regret.
[Cole] Kane, when he ended the Rated-R Era,
The Great Khali came along
and won a battle royal for that World championship.
and Kane and Batista in a triple threat match
at The Great American Bash, John,
against The Great Khali,
and those two men could not wrestle the championship away
from "The Punjabi Nightmare."
[Layfield] Those two monsters of men,
both of them unleashed everything they had against Khali
and could not stop him.
[Cole] Ooh! And Kane with another right hand.
[Layfield] I saw Batista backstage.
He looks better than I've ever seen him before.
But even Batista, at his best,
I don't know if he could beat The Great Khali.
[Cole] We'll find out later on tonight,
with the World championship on the line,
but right now, Finlay trying to get back into this matchup against Kane.
[Layfield] Finlay's first bit of offense this entire--
[Cole] Oh, and Kane! Did you hear that?
[Layfield] What a right hand!
Holy cow!
[Cole] And Finlay, who's run into many right hands in his life
in those bar fights in Northern Ireland,
trying to shake the cobwebs off from that right.
And there's a boot to the skull.
[referee] Two!
[Cole] Watch this impact.
And I wonder what Finlay's family, John,
watching live on Sky Box Office in the United Kingdom,
thinks about that.
Northern Ireland among the nearly 40 countries
watching SummerSlam live tonight.
Canada, Australia…
[Layfield] I would imagine them, as most like… most Irishmen,
they drank so much Guinness they don't know what to think.
[Cole] Oh, and Finlay back to work on the injured ribs of Kane,
and, John, if there's one thing we know about Finlay,
when he sees an opening, when he sees a bullseye,
he will immediately go to work on that,
and that's what the ribs are presenting Finlay tonight.
[Layfield] And that is exactly what Finlay is so good at.
He sees openings most people don't.
Right now, Kane has had his game completely taken away from him.
All of that offense at the beginning that Kane had,
no longer valid.
[Cole] Very little wasted motion for Finlay,
targeting the injured ribs, and look at that!
Full force of the body into the ribs.
Cover, forearm in the jaw,
and a kick-out at two.
[Layfield] That's what I said about monkey-butt ugly.
This is not gonna be for the faint of heart.
Put the women and the children on the fence,
'cause you are about to see one wild ride.
[Cole] And tell me the problems that Kane faces, John,
with these injured ribs tonight.
What kind of things is Kane experiencing as Finlay works on him?
[Layfield] There's a myriad of problems you're faced with.
Your entire body is centered around your core.
You have a difficulty breathing.
You have a difficulty getting a deep breath.
You have a difficulty moving and using your power game.
Everything comes from the middle of your body.
[Cole] Kane back to a vertical base,
and what an enzuigiri to the back of the skull.
And, of course, the danger that a rib could break, John,
and will possibly puncture a lung.
Watch this and listen.
That impact!
Kane back to both feet.
So dangerous, the 300-plus pounder,
when he's about to put the full force behind those punches.
Another boot by Kane.
Former WWE Champion,
and it's not all about power with Kane, John.
Kane's gonna have to rely a lot more on his agility,
his quickness, speed here tonight
because of those injured ribs. May take some of that power away from him.
[Layfield] But the power game is what brought Kane a WWE Championship.
The power game right here.
One arm.
-[Cole] Side slam. -[Layfield] Impressive.
[Cole] Cover. Hooks the inside leg.
There's a two-count, and Finlay rolls the shoulder out.
[Layfield] Look at him grimace.
[Cole] Let me ask you, with the injured ribs,
does it prevent you from putting on a cover at 1005
[Layfield] Absolute. Because laying on a person like that hurts.
Laying in certain ways hurts.
The only thing you can do is lay flat on your back with broken ribs.
I've had them before, and it's the most painful experience.
[Cole] The 300-pounder from the top rope right to the--
[Layfield] But look at him. He can't finish.
Kane normally at this point's going for a chokeslam.
Kane normally is going for whatever he can do
to help finish a guy off.
[Cole] I believe he went rib-first into the turnbuckle.
Finlay looking to take advantage again.
Quickly into the cover.
Shoulders are down.
May have him--
And a kick-out.
[Layfield] Every one of these kick-outs by Kane,
though Finlay may not get a ch… a win… a win here,
he may not be going for a win. He's making Kane expend energy.
He's making Kane use those injured ribs.
[Cole] Uh-oh. Hey, hey, hey! Look, look!
-It… it… it's Hornswoggle! -[Layfield] Our Cruiserweight Champion!
[Cole] The little leprechaun of Finlay's, Hornswoggle.
Uh-oh!
Hornswoggle wants nothing to do with Kane.
[Finlay yells angrily at Hornswoggle]
[Cole] And do you blame him? Oh!
And Kane…
-Uh-oh. -[Layfield] Uh-oh!
[Cole] Hornswoggle…
[Layfield] We're about to have a leprechaun toss.
[Cole laughs] Oh man…
With… [laughs]
Kane…
Hornswoggle going to rue the day
that he got involved in this one thanks to Finlay.
-Uh-oh! -[Layfield] Oh no.
[Cole] Fi… Finlay in trouble.
Oh, and…
Finlay went right back to the ribs, missed with a clothesline.
[Layfield] Here we go!
[Cole] And Kane… Kane can't quite…
can't quite get Finlay up in the chokeslam.
Perhaps the injured ribs bothering him, John.
[Layfield] Clearly that's what's bothering him, Michael.
[Cole] And did you see how Finlay aimed the point of that boot
right directly into the taped ribs?
[Layfield] How would you like to go into battle with a gun and no bullets?
That is what Kane is looking at right now.
[Cole] Oh! DDT by Finlay.
Finlay rolls over, into the cover. Tries to hook the leg.
And a kick-out at two and a half.
Can you imagine, John, how laborious the breathing must be
at this point in time for Kane?
[Layfield] Can you imagine also what's going through Kane's mind?
He's won a WWE Championship with that chokeslam.
He has defeated numerous Superstars with that champ… with that chokeslam.
He does not have it in his arsenal right now.
[Cole] And Finlay has exposed the steel turnbuckle.
The distraction allowed him to pick up the shillelagh!
But Kane with a countermeasure.
And, uh…
[Layfield] I think Kane is not amused.
[Cole] I think Finlay would like a timeout, and…
[referee] No, no, Kane, you can't use this. No.
[Cole] Referee Jimmy Korderas, right place, right time.
Another shillelagh!
From Hornswoggle.
To the injured ribs.
That'll definitely break a rib.
Finlay going for the win. He's gonna steal one here.
And a kick-out at two and a half!
Finlay was blatantly cheating,
and it backfired,
as "The Big Red Machine" Kane managed somehow to kick out.
[Layfield] Finlay has done everything he has, every one of his bag of tricks,
and it still hasn't worked.
[Cole] Shoulder-first into the steel post.
-Kane measuring Finlay. -[Layfield] Oh!
[Cole] This time, chokeslam delivered.
Cover. Hooked the leg.
-Kane picks up a hard-fought victory. -[bell rings]
[Kane's theme music playing]
[Chimel] Here is your winner,
Kane!
[Layfield] Ever wanna know the definition of sucking it up
in a championship level,
look at the picture right here in front of you, Michael.
That is what this is.
You wonder why Kane has been WWE Champion,
why he's one of the biggest… best big men of all time,
look at this tonight. Come out here at 90% against Finlay…
[Cole] Well, Hornswoggle, thanks to Finlay's encouragement,
was gonna get involved,
until Kane decided to…
[Finlay] Ah, son of a bitch!
[Cole] …to sit up.
And then Kane looking to take control with that kick to Finlay.
Now watch this. Off the distraction,
Hornswoggle hands a second shillelagh to Finlay
and right to the ribs.
Finlay capitalized and almost pulled off the victory.
But the cheating didn't work in the end.
[Layfield] But what have you gotta do to beat Kane?
Kane is dinged. He's hurt. He's injured.
You hit him with everything you got,
and "The Big Red Machine" still comes back out on top.
[Cole] The referee was clearly distracted
when Hornswoggle handed Finlay that second shillelagh,
but it didn't matter. Kane somehow, as you said, John,
sucked it up and picked up the win at SummerSlam.
You've done a great job.
"Biggest Party of the Summer," boys. The place looks great.
-[Vince] Gentlemen, how are you? -[Coachman] There you are.
-[Regal] How are you? -What have you done to my office?
I know you're gonna love it. I mean, this is Party Central tonight.
You've got four men partying with each other.
-That's Party Central. -Yeah.
Four men. Where are the women?
-I told you to get the scrubbers. -Where are the women?
I told you to… I told you to get them.
-The filthier the better. -I can't do everything.
Now, there's a certain woman I've invited here tonight,
that same woman who gave birth to my, uh, my bastard son.
You can identify her because she's the only woman in the world
who would be carrying a necrotic, uh, infectious womb.
-What? -And she'll also…
You'll identify her because she'll have her hands out like this,
waiting for a payday. If she shows up, bring her to me, please.
-You got it, boss. -Thank you.
Shuffling her feet as well if she had a womb like that, wouldn't she?
-Anyway, boss-- -[Marella] I figured it out.
Oh hellfire. What the bloody hell do you want?
Shaddap you face.
I figured it out. Your name Vincent.
Vinnie.
Vincenzo! It's Italian, just like me.
[sings operatically] ♪ Oh, my papa… ♪
Get out, you fool! Get out!
You moron.
Bloody imbecile. Every week, I've gotta deal with that.
-MVP! -[Coachman] Hey, hey!
-Oh man! Yeah. -[crowd booing]
Look, Mr. McMahon, I don't know if I'm your son,
but, um, I think Teddy Long has blown it big-time.
-Come on, drama king. -No, no, look here, man.
You got SummerSlam, "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
How do you have that without your MVP?
-I mean, what's wrong with you, man? -[Coachman] Great point.
I mean… But I can fix it. I got an idea.
I would like to issue an open challenge to Matt Hardy tonight.
It won't be a wrestling match because Teddy Long dropped the ball on that.
But it will be worthy of SummerSlam and its 20th anniversary.
-Competition. -You got it.
Best of luck. I look forward to it.
-I promise I won't disappoint you. -You never do.
-He's a good one. -Oh, he's awesome.
As a matter of fact, I would be proud if he were my son.
Yeah, and speaking of that, boss, do you…?
Coachman, don't be so ridiculous. I know what you're thinking.
MVP can't be Mr. McMahon's son.
Mr. McMahon's son would be more refined,
more dignified.
Dare I say it,
more regal.
[Long murmuring]
Gentlemen, I have things to do. Goodbye.
-Regal. -Sir, I… I have been to England.
-I have too. -I've seen the women.
Ooh, yeah.
Do… do you think it's possible that you and an English woman…?
I couldn't do an English woman with your--
-Uh-uh. -[crowd laughing]
-You don't have to say it. -Not even with yours.
-Hey, hey. I get it. -Have a cigar.
Okay.
-This office is gaudy. -And it's great.
-Gaudy. -Okay.
Kennedy!
[Mr. Kennedy's theme music playing]
[bell rings]
[Garcia] The following is a Triple Threat Match,
and it is for the Intercontinental Championship.
Introducing the challengers,
first, from Green Bay, Wisconsin,
weighing in at 245 lbs,
Mr. Kennedy!
Well, King, it'll be every man for himself here tonight
in the Intercontinental matchup.
First man to score a pinfall or submission is the winner
and the Intercontinental champ.
[Lawler] Every man for himself, very fitting for that man,
because he thinks about nobody but himself.
Mr. Kennedy! He loves saying his own name, JR.
The next Intercontinental Champion…
weighs in tonight at 243 lbs.
He hails… from… Green… Bay, Wisconsin.
Mr. Kennedy!
Kennedy!
[Lawler] So nice, he has to say it twice.
[Ross] The former United States Champion.
I spit in the face of people who don't want to be cool.
[Carlito's theme music playing]
[Garcia] From the Caribbean, weighing in at 220 lbs,
Carlito!
[Lawler] Here comes another man who if you're not talking about him,
he's not listening.
[Ross] Gotta mention that Mr. Kennedy a former United States Champion,
Carlito a former Intercontinental Champion.
This championship created 28 years ago.
WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson the first Intercontinental Champion.
I spit in the face of people who don't want to be cool.
[Ross] Mr. Kennedy looking to join a very illustrious group
of amazing athletes that have been Intercontinental champ.
[Umaga's theme music playing]
[Lawler] Did you say "amazing athletes"?
Uh-oh!
[Garcia] And from the Isle of Samoa,
weighing in at 350 lbs,
he is the Intercontinental Champion,
Umaga!
[Lawler] Boy, Umaga looks right at home here at SummerSlam,
"The Biggest Party of the Summer." The palm trees, the sand…
[Ross] You think the, uh, the theme of SummerSlam,
the biggest party of the summer, the palm trees, the sand,
as you mentioned, is gonna give Umaga a more comfortable feeling,
maybe even a little bit of a home field advantage
here in New Jersey?
[Lawler] I…
I don't know if Umaga needs a home field advantage.
And speaking of comfort levels,
Mr. Kennedy's and Carlito's can't be too high right now.
Carlito's leaving the ring already.
[Ross] Kennedy and… Kennedy and Carlito are both somewhat vainglorious.
They think a lot of themselves.
But it would probably behoove that man, Mr. Kennedy, and Carlito
to perhaps get on the same page
and try to deal with "The Samoan Bulldozer."
Last week, we thought that the winner of the one-on-one match on Raw
between Kennedy and Carlito would be here to face Umaga one-on-one,
but we had that double pin.
[Lawler] Wait a minute.
Mr. Kennedy's trying to, uh…
Ooh!
-[Ross] I think Umaga's not gonna be… -[Lawler] He's hard to negotiate with.
[Ross] Exactly.
-The last-- -[Lawler] Oh! What was that?
-[Ross] Good lord, it… -[Lawler] Were those molars, or…?
[Ross] I thought they were teeth. It was an apple.
Thank goodness for Carlito.
And Umaga not gonna waste any time here.
The 350-lb super heavyweight
will come at each and every body in this matchup,
specifically Carlito and Mr. Kennedy,
with nothing but high-impact, heavy artillery.
[Lawler] Well, as I'm watching the way this match, uh, begins here,
you're right. I think the only hope Mr. Kennedy or Carlito are gonna have
if… is if they do try to some way get on the same page
and together eliminate Umaga. Oh man!
[Ross] Bottom line is it's… it's quite admirable, quite frankly,
that… that both Carlito and Kennedy wanted a match against Umaga,
which shows you what the Intercontinental Championship means
to men like…
[Lawler] Well, I don't… I don't know if it's exactly admirable, JR.
I think it's just more about the Intercontinental Championship.
Both these young men want that title.
And I think they'll do absolutely anything to get it.
-Uh-oh. -[Ross] There's no doubt about that.
And Kennedy acting as a little bit of a subterfuge.
Carlito trying to gain the advantage.
You see how far the… that attempted single leg was
with Carlito and those tree trunk-like legs of Umaga.
[Lawler] That was like trying to pull up a palm tree.
Oh man!
[Ross] Carlito, who grew up in San Juan,
should be comfortable in this palm tree, sand setting.
But Umaga has been so dominating here in the early going.
It's been all Umaga thus far.
-[Umaga yelling] -[Lawler] Oh no!
[Ross] Uh, Kennedy…
[Lawler] Kennedy may have just saved Carlito.
Oh, look at that move!
[Ross] And Carlito taking advantage of Kennedy's distraction.
And remember, there's no disqualifications or count-outs
in a triple threat match.
The match can only end when one man scores a pinfall
or earns a submission.
[Lawler] Look out! Oh!
[Ross] Shades of Bobby Lashley
and that damaged shoulder that Kennedy inflicted upon…
on Bobby Lashley just a few weeks ago
that has resulted in Lashley having surgery.
There's a roll-up. Carlito's…
[Lawler] He's got the rope!
[Ross] And good officiating by Chad Patton.
[Lawler] Boy, you know, JR, after watching this,
maybe we will see a new Intercontinental Champion
after seeing what's happened to Umaga here.
[Ross] These Triple Threat Matches are certainly unpredictable,
as it is every man for himself, as we mentioned.
It's a sudden death-type situation
inasmuch as that if Kennedy pins Carlito here
or makes Carlito submit, Kennedy is the new Intercontinental champ.
[Lawler] Right. Umaga not even involved in the decision, maybe.
[Ross] Nice springboard elbow by the athletic Carlito.
-[Lawler] Here goes! -[Ross] And Carlito hooking…
And got a near-fall.
The second-generation star who grew up in San Juan, Carlito,
as the… those left hands very effective.
Speeds up this pace here.
[Lawler] The pace has speeded up
because I think both Carlito and Mr. Kennedy need…
They need to make hay while the sun shines,
while Umaga's not in this match. Oh!
Not in the ring, at least.
[Ross] Face-first inverted Russian leg sweep by Mr. Kennedy.
[Lawler] Oh no!
[Ross] And Kennedy and Carlito had that sense of urgency
because of that man, Umaga,
who just jerked Kennedy to the floor like Kennedy was a small child.
What a big-time right hand!
Carlito walked into a huge right from this massive man.
[Lawler] Oh no!
Ooh!
[Ross] Umaga with a hard slam, high-impact.
Umaga's not gonna out-finesse anybody.
[Lawler] What's he gonna do here?
-[Ross] And… -[Lawler] Look out!
[Ross] The athleticism of a 350-pounder
launching himself off the second turnbuckle.
[Lawler] Well, we see here the strength of Umaga,
just like you said, yanking Mr. Kennedy right out of the ring.
Then we saw the agility of "The Samoan Bulldozer."
He dove halfway across the ring, JR.
[Ross] Kennedy was almost barefoot there for a moment,
as Umaga almost tore Kennedy right out of his… his boots.
The Intercontinental title has changed 11 times at SummerSlams.
And look at Kennedy pulling Carlito out of harm's way.
[Lawler] Look out here. I think Umaga…
Hey, wait a minute.
[Ross] Well, we said there's no disqualification,
and Kennedy is, uh, taking that, uh…
[Lawler] Look out with that monitor. I know what damage those things can do.
[Ross] Look out here!
Good gosh!
Man, if that… And now Carlito showing absolutely zero…
[Lawler] Look at this!
[Ross] The damage done! We could have a new--
No!
Carlito is in amazement.
He's bewildered.
[Lawler] You better cover him again, Carlito.
-[Carlito] Wait! -[Ross] Kennedy back in the ring.
We gotta work together, huh? We gotta work together on this!
We gotta get him out. It's not about you and me.
We gotta get him.
We gotta get him. He's getting up.
[Ross] There's a sense of urgency not only in Carlito's tone,
but now in the actions of Carlito and Mr. Kennedy.
[Lawler] If I was Kennedy, I don't know if I would trust someone
whose finishing maneuver is called the Backstabber.
[Ross] Look at the two challengers
trying to… to hoist up the… the super heavyweight.
Get him up now!
[Ross] And now Carlito and Kennedy again attempting to get on the same page.
[Lawler] Oh! Almost.
-Look out! Oh! -[Ross] The power…
Man, the girth and power, uh, of Umaga coming to the forefront
in that double-team attempt.
[Lawler] We got all three men down now, JR.
Three!
[Ross] The referee's counting. Don't know why.
Four!
[Lawler] Uh-oh. Look out here!
[Ross] And what a… this…
just smash-mouth.
Big slobberknocker-type clotheslines by Umaga.
Look out! Oh, Samoan drop!
[Lawler] Look at the recuperative powers of Umaga.
[Ross] And the snap in the offense of Umaga.
-For a man his size… -[Lawler] Oh no!
-[Ross] Oh! -[Lawler] God.
That's it.
[Ross] Umaga with a cover.
That should-- No. Or it should've done it.
Or it might have done it, but we'll never know,
as Carlito kept this match alive.
Man, what a thrust kick.
[Lawler] Look out!
[Ross] And I think that move,
the great camera shot pretty well told the story.
[Lawler] And that almost knocked Carlito's head off his shoulders.
-Oh! -[Ross] A resourceful move by Mr. Kennedy.
Doing the old low bridge on Umaga.
Now Kennedy's got an opportunity.
Kennedy seems to be an opportunistic individual.
Can Kennedy seize the moment here?
[Lawler] Here goes Carlito… Ooh!
[Ross] Kennedy… This should do it.
This should do it.
Kennedy with the leg hook.
[Lawler laughs]
[Ross] Umaga says, "Not today."
[Lawler] Oh! Samoan Spike!
[Ross] Good lord, the Samoan Spike!
[bell rings]
[Umaga's theme music playing]
[Garcia] Here is your winner and still the Intercontinental Champion,
Umaga!
[Lawler] Well, try as they may, both Carlito and Mr. Kennedy
gave a valiant effort, but that man right there,
he just showed the world why he is the Intercontinental Champion.
[Ross] It's going to take a Herculean effort
on an extraordinary night for any one man to beat Umaga
for the Intercontinental Championship.
The 350-lb athletic super heavyweight…
-Look at this power. -[Lawler] You're right.
The strength, just swinging Mr. Kennedy around.
And then this. Oh!
Poor Carlito.
[Ross] This "Bulldozer" has no reverse.
And here's where we thought Kennedy would have won the Intercontinental title.
I think Kennedy would have won it.
[Lawler] But look how quick… look how quick Umaga was in the ring
to stop that three-count.
[Ross] And then nobody can get up from the Samoan Spike.
And Umaga still the Intercontinental Champion.
Who is man enough to beat Umaga for Intercontinental gold?
It's going to take one hell of an effort.
[Lawler] Wow.
Well, it's truly party time for "The Samoan Bulldozer."
[snarls]
-Wow! -[quirky dance music playing]
Wow!
[Cole] Coming up next,
the former World Champion Rey Mysterio returns to the ring
to do battle with a former longtime friend,
a man as close as a brother, Chavo Guerrero.
A rivalry fed by Chavo's bitter jealousy,
something we got a glimpse of a few weeks ago on SmackDown.
[heartbeat]
[whooshing]
[adventurous dance music playing]
[Chimel] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back to SmackDown,
Rey Mysterio!
[uneasy music playing]
[Layfield] Wait a minute. That's not Rey Mysterio.
[Chavo as Mysterio] To be honest with you, I don't know in my heart
if I'm able to face Chavo Guerrero at SummerSlam.
The last time I faced Chavo Guerrero,
you inflicted so much pain on my leg.
[yells in pain]
And you made me say…
I quit! I quit!
"I quit, Chavo!"
[Cole] This is utterly ridiculous.
Chavo Guerrero has been obsessed with Rey Mysterio.
[Layfield] Chavo's just out doing Rey.
[Cole] There's only one Rey Mysterio.
And this is rubbing it in the face of Mysterio.
This is Mysterio's signature move.
[crowd laughing]
You wanna laugh, then laugh. I'll give you something to laugh at.
[unsettling music playing]
[echoing yell]
[Cole] He is methodically, systematically destroying that knee.
the same knee of Rey Mysterio that Chavo will attack at SummerSlam.
What the hell is this?
[Layfield] It's a direct message to the area code 619.
[music intensifies]
[Cole] Will this be the fate of Rey Mysterio at SummerSlam?
[music fades]
Ooh, Chavo!
[Chavo Guerrero's theme music playing]
[bell rings]
[Chimel] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring,
from El Paso, Texas,
weighing in at 215 lbs,
Chavo Guerrero!
[Cole] Simply put, this is all about jealousy,
Chavo's compulsive need to be better than his childhood friend Rey Mysterio,
who won a World Championship,
a goal that Chavo Guerrero never achieved.
[Layfield] Show respect. Show some respect to Chavo Guerrero.
The name Guerrero means "warrior,"
and Chavo Guerrero beat Rey Mysterio
when Rey Mysterio was at his best, Michael.
[Cole] You're talking about the I Quit Match last October.
[Layfield] That's exactly what I'm talking about.
Chavo Guerrero walked into a fair fight.
They both were 100%.
Rey Mysterio yelled, "I quit! I quit!"
[Cole] Chavo Guerrero knew Rey Mysterio's knee had been injured.
He targeted that at the I Quit Match.
[Layfield] How many more excuses can you make for Rey Mysterio?
He was a World Champion.
Chavo Guerrero that night was better.
[crowd chanting] Rey! Rey! Rey! Rey! Rey!
♪ What you gonna do When we come for you? ♪
-♪ Booyaka, booyaka, 619 ♪ -♪ Hey! ♪
-♪ Hey, booyakka, booyakka ♪ -♪ That's my pueblo ♪
♪ Booyakka, booyakka, 619… ♪
[Chimel] And making his return,
from San Diego, California,
weighing in at 175 lbs,
Rey Mysterio!
[Cole] Emotions are flowing already
here in front of a sell-out crowd here in the Continental Airlines Arena.
Rey Mysterio, perhaps the most exciting aerial superstar in wrestling history,
makes his return to the ring
after ten months of arduous rehab.
And he heads right towards the man, Chavo Guerrero,
who tried to end his career
ten months ago in Los Angeles in an I Quit Match.
[Layfield] The Cinderella story of 2006, Rey Mysterio, is back.
Problem is, the guy who ended the story, Chavo Guerrero, is waiting for him.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio set for action against Chavo Guerrero
in what has become an extremely personal issue.
Chavo Guerrero wanted to end Rey Mysterio's career,
and he says he will finish that task here tonight at SummerSlam.
[Layfield] The temerity of Rey Mysterio is astounding,
to come out here against Chavo Guerrero
without so much as a warm-up match.
And apparently Rey's been bronzed during the time off.
[Cole] Well, Rey Mysterio is always different, John.
A different approach in the ring.
[Cole] And you see, uh, the unique look tonight…
[bell rings]
…for the former World Champion.
[inaudible]
Oh, and Rey
with the first salvo of the matchup.
This is a moment that Rey Mysterio has been dreaming of.
You can only imagine those…
those months that he spent in rehab,
working so hard to return tonight
to this moment.
[Layfield] One dream is another man's nightmare, Michael.
[crowd chanting] Chavo sucks! Chavo sucks!
[chanting continues]
[Cole] To get back to the nightmare point,
that may be the case for Chavo Guerrero tonight.
John, what do you expect out of this matchup?
Obviously for Rey Mysterio
and that injured left knee which Chavo went right for…
[Layfield] What you just saw,
we are gonna see until we see a conclusion to this matchup.
You're gonna see Chavo Guerrero going after that knee
until he either gets it or he can't get it.
-Period. -[Cole] Will Rey Mysterio show ring rust?
Is the knee 100%? All those we hope to answer tonight.
-[Layfield] Pedro Martinez is-- -[Cole] Oh!
Quick, quick cover.
And Chavo bridged right out.
And you think, John, it's Rey obviously going for--
Look at the shoulders and…
Tremendous strength by Chavo, able to bridge out of this.
Almost Rey's full body on top of him.
Ooh!
Tremendous action.
Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero know each other so well.
They were childhood friends. They were nearly brothers.
And in the ring, they have met on many different occasions
over their careers.
[Layfield] This is a rivalry that's 30 years in the making, Michael.
[Cole] And you saw examples of,
John, how they can counter each other's maneuvers,
move for move. You're gonna see a lot of that in this matchup.
[Layfield] They grew up around each other, Michael.
They have watched each other wrestle since they were kids.
They have wrestled each other since they were kids.
[Cole] But it's never been as personal as it is tonight.
[Layfield] And you never had a seed of doubt,
like Rey Mysterio might have in his mind tonight,
about, "How good is that knee? Is it really recovered?"
[Cole] Well, we're gonna find out,
as Chavo Guerrero goes right to work on that surgically repaired knee.
John, that knee,
when Chavo attacked it with a steel chair,
that knee was torn in three places.
Mysterio suffering a torn ACL,
a torn PCL, and a torn meniscus.
And now the Rey Mysterio that we've come to know and love.
Rey Mysterio, highly unorthodox,
a high-flyer.
And right out of the box,
Rey Mysterio showing that he's ready to go.
No hesitation by Mysterio.
No doubt at all by the former World Champion.
And Rey's gonna go to work on Chavo's knee.
Rey Mysterio all business tonight, John.
No screwing around. This is about retribution.
[Layfield] I'm telling you, I've had four knee surgeries in my life.
There is a little bit of doubt in Rey Mysterio until that knee is tested.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio targeting the left knee of Chavo Guerrero.
[Layfield] Pedro Martinez came back. He's not throwing near what he was
'cause he's scared to extend himself through that rotator cuff.
An injury like this takes a while
to understand how healthy you are.
[Cole] He looked pretty healthy there.
[Layfield] So far, Michael. So far.
[Cole] You keep using the Pedro references.
He's still in rehab, John. Rey Mysterio's gone through rehab.
He's back in the ring on the grand stage of SummerSlam,
and he looks great so far.
[Layfield] Maybe he should be in rehab. That's what we're gonna find out today.
[Cole] Mysterio, top rope…
Oh! Oh no, look at this.
Mysterio in the Tree of Woe,
much like in the I Quit Match,
when he was hung up in those steel stanchions.
And Chavo right to work on the injured left knee.
[Layfield] This right here is Rey's worst nightmare.
The flashback to what happened at that I Quit Match.
[groaning in pain]
[Cole] How would that psychologically affect Rey,
what he just went through, John?
[Layfield] One of two things, Michael.
Either it motivates him or it scares the living hell out of him.
[Cole] This may scare the living hell out of Rey right there.
[Layfield] Fear, Michael, is Rey Mysterio's worst enemy.
If any doubt creeps up in his mind during this entire match,
Chavo Guerrero is gonna take Rey Mysterio to town.
[crowd chanting] Chavo sucks! Chavo sucks!
[Cole] You heard Chavo just scream at Rey, John,
"Do you quit, Rey?"
Shades of what we experienced last October.
[Layfield] Shades of mind games. You say Chavo Guerrero's obsessed?
He's playing mind games with Rey Mysterio.
Rey Mysterio has been watching SmackDown the last month,
watching Chavo Guerrero come out here and decimate these guys,
put Rey's mask over their head and make fun of them.
-It is wearing on Rey. -[Cole] Cover. Hook of the leg.
And a kick-out. You think Rey Mysterio was watching SmackDown two nights ago
when Chavo Guerrero tried to destroy the knee of Funaki with a steel chair?
[Layfield] You better believe Chavo Guerrero…
Rey Mysterio was watching Chavo Guerrero destroy him.
That's why Chavo Guerrero was sending the message.
[Cole] Look at the way that Rey's knee is wrapped around the back of the neck.
[Layfield] Of Chavo. And Chavo has got Rey in the middle of the ring.
[Cole] What does do to the knee? Chavo's just torquing it.
[Layfield] The worst thing it does is the psyche of Rey Mysterio.
I'm telling you, it cannot be overplayed.
That is the worst part about an injury,
is realizing whether you're healthy or not.
[Cole] The thing we've learned about Rey Mysterio
is the heart of a lion. Tremendous guts, tremendous--
[Layfield] He's got that ridiculous machismo.
[Layfield] Yes, I know. Remember, he's the reason I'm sitting here with you,
because I lost a retirement match to him.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio was once the smallest World Champion in history.
That's what Mysterio's all about, but again, look at the knee.
Shoulders are down.
Rey manages to get them back up, but…
[Layfield] This is the experience of a Guerrero.
Chavo grew up in this business.
-A third-generation wrestler. -[Cole] Trying to hyperextend the knee.
[Layfield] He knows how to take advantage of a weakness.
[Cole] You can hear the groans of agony.
[Mysterio groaning]
[Layfield] Look at that. The knee is not meant to bend that way.
[Cole] You're of course referring to the many different maneuvers
that Chavo's applying to the knee.
[Layfield] That's exactly what I'm referring to.
You don't have to clarify me. I don't need a parrot out here with me,
I'm saying Tinfoil Man on the bottom
is getting his leg handed to him.
[Cole] You can sometimes be a bit vague.
Oh! Enzuigiri.
Chavo…
Could this be the opening that Rey Mysterio needs?
Chavo Guerrero is prone on the second rope.
Mysterio… And the knee gave out.
The knee gave out.
Mysterio couldn't connect on a possible 619.
[Layfield] He couldn't do it. And here we are! Ball game!
[Cole] Chavo, submission maneuver.
A near half Boston crab.
Something Gory Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero's grandfather, invented.
Ball game!
[Cole] In Rey Mysterio's last match, he said, "I quit."
Will he say, "I quit," again tonight,
in his first match back?
[Layfield] Find the fat lady, Michael. Tell her to sing!
'Cause Chavo Guerrero has got Rey Mysterio's number.
[Cole] And Rey made it to the bottom rope, forcing Chavo to break the hold.
[Layfield] He is postponing the inevitable, is Rey.
[Cole] You said you've been through knee injuries before.
How much can a surgically repaired knee take,
considering the punishment Chavo's inflicting tonight?
[Layfield] We're gonna find that out.
The answer is, sometimes it takes as much as a healthy knee.
Sometimes it does not.
You don't know until you go out and perform.
[Cole] Look at this! Cover.
May steal one… And a kick-out.
For Rey Mysterio, John,
the knee was torn, as I mentioned before, in three separate places.
[Layfield] You will never know about Rey's knee
until it is tested under fire.
A doctor can come out.
He had one of the best doctors in the world in Dr. Andrews.
But the thing is, you don't know until it's tested.
[Cole] Well, Mysterio being severely tested tonight by Chavo Guerrero
in this personal, bitter battle.
Chavo has been obsessed with Mysterio
since Mysterio won the World title.
And now it's Chavo! Chavo in the Tree of Woe!
And Mysterio, eyes locked.
Eyes locked on the knee!
This is about retribution. This is about revenge.
Stay back!
[Cole] Chavo is the man who vowed to end Rey Mysterio's career.
No if, ands, or buts.
No gray area.
Chavo sent through the second rope, and that is that resilience, John.
The unorthodox style as well that we talk about with Mysterio.
That's that lucha libre that Rey Mysterio was born into
in Tijuana, Mexico.
[Cole] The ability to think on his feet.
And there's the high-flying aerial tactics,
that seated senton off the apron.
[referee] Three!
[Layfield] With every move that Rey Mysterio does,
he's gaining confidence.
[Cole] Rey as quick mentally as he is physically,
displaying that here at SummerSlam.
[Layfield] He still couldn't complete that 619 due to that bad knee, Michael.
[Cole] But he did com… complete that.
-[Layfield] Look at him! -[Cole] Flying seated senton.
[Layfield] Look what it did to him.
[Cole] Favoring the knee,
that and the punishment he's absorbed at the hands of Chavo.
Chavo… Roll-through by Rey.
Here's the cover. Hooks the leg.
Mysterio gonna beat Chavo here…
No, kick-out at two and a half.
And the longer this match goes on, John,
it's gotta favor Chavo Guerrero.
[Layfield] There's no doubt about it. Injury-wise, conditioning-wise,
Chavo Guerrero has been performing every single week
in the months that Rey Mysterio has been off.
He is sharp as he possibly could be.
[Cole] Wow! Moonsault, caught by Chavo.
And Rey reversed it
with that twirling DDT.
He's gonna get him here.
Cover. Hook of the leg. Got him--
Oh, and Chavo got his foot on the bottom rope.
Rey Mysterio so close to knocking off Chavo Guerrero.
[Layfield] Chavo Guerrero is a different wrestler than he was
when he first made Rey quit a year ago.
Chavo Guerrero has gotten better and better and better,
and we don't even know if Rey Mysterio is up to what he was before.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio gonna climb to the top rope,
gonna test the surgically repaired knee yet again.
Rey, crossbody, nobody home!
Chavo looks to take advantage.
Going for the Gory Special.
The Gory Bomb connects!
-Lights out, Mysterio. -[Layfield] Ball game!
[Cole] Cover.
There's two. It's over--
-No! -[Layfield] You're kidding me!
[Cole] Mysterio kicked out.
[yells in frustration]
[Cole] Mysterio kicked out of the Gory Bomb.
[Layfield] I can't remember anybody not getting defeated by the Gory Bomb,
since Gory Guerrero first did it years ago!
[Cole] John, you keep saying Rey's not 100%.
Maybe he came back better than he was before.
Maybe that's a possibility.
[Layfield] There is always that possibility, Michael.
We're gonna find out.
The only way to find out, though, is to test him by fire.
He hits this, we're about to find out,
[Cole] We're finding out right now! 619…
Nobody home.
And the knee gave out again,
and Chavo going for the triple verticals,
The Three Amigos.
[Layfield] The knee didn't give out, Michael. Chavo moved.
Chavo's out-thinking him.
[Cole] And the knee gave out on the landing. Rey!
Chavo!
Here we go!
And we did! The 619!
[Layfield] He drops a dime!
[Cole] Mysterio!
Here's the cover off the splash.
-[bell rings] -Mysterio returns in grand fashion!
[Chimel] Here is your winner,
Rey Mysterio!
[Cole] Rey Mysterio is back.
[Layfield] I don't like Rey Mysterio at all,
but that was one hell of a performance.
He beat a very, very good Chavo Guerrero.
[Cole] But not only did he beat a good Chavo Guerrero, John,
Rey Mysterio beat all those demons in his mind.
He proved to himself that he was back,
that the knee could hold up under pressure and under attack.
Mysterio with a huge win mentally and physically tonight.
[Layfield] That is what I'm talking about.
If he did it without reinjuring himself, which we'll find out in the weeks to come,
Rey Mysterio has taken that first hurdle in being back.
And let me tell you something.
He's painted up all silver,
but he's gold to me.
Rey looks better than ever.
I still don't like him, but he looks better than ever.
[Cole] Mysterio gaining retribution here tonight
with a victory in front of over 17,000 fans,
a victory over the man who tried to end his career ten months ago.
A very sweet win
for the former World Champion at SummerSlam.
[Cole] Throughout the entire match, John,
Chavo Guerrero tested the injured knee of Rey Mysterio,
and it showed up here.
Rey could not capitalize on the first
of what would be three attempts of the 619.
[Layfield] Chavo Guerrero had his game plan.
-Ducked out of the way. -[Cole] The knee gave.
But finally, the third time was the proverbial charm.
The 619 connecting,
and off of the big splash, John,
Mysterio with a huge win.
[Layfield] That was a terrific matchup.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio proved something tonight.
Rey Mysterio proved that he is indeed a warrior.
[Layfield] As much as I don't like him, what a great addition Rey Mysterio is
coming back to SmackDown.
We are loaded on Friday night, Michael!
[Cole] Rey Mysterio, the former World Champion, is back.
So congratulations go out to Rey Mysterio,
victorious in his return.
However, will Triple H's return be as successful?
Well, let's find out.
Joining me now, his opponent this evening,
King Booker.
[crowd booing]
King Booker, we just saw Rey Mysterio perform--
Yes.
Rey Mysterio had a triumphant return against Chavo Guerrero.
A fairy-tale dream come true.
A fairy-tale that pales in comparison to the return of Triple H,
which will be a tragedy.
A tragedy in Shakespearean proportion,
because Triple H returns to my kingdom,
the Raw Nation.
And, yes,
he will be exposed in the worst way.
But, yes, I know Triple H will have a grand entrance.
And all the crowd, all the people,
will stand on their feet, and they will cheer.
And I want Triple H…
I want Triple H to…
[inhales deeply]
…take that moment in.
Take it in because it will be his high point of the night.
Because I promise you,
by this night's end,
Triple H… will have bowed down
to King… Booker.
[crowd booing]
[bell rings]
[Garcia] The following is the WWE Divas Battle Royal.
The winner will receive a future Women's Championship match.
Now, in this match,
the only way to be eliminated is to be thrown out of the ring
with both feet hitting the floor.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the WWE Women's Champion,
Candice Michelle!
-♪ Ooh ♪ -♪ Let me show you what love is ♪
♪ Let me show you how to move your body ♪
♪ Move your body ♪
["move your body" repeating rapidly]
[Ross] Well, King, Candice Michelle is displaying
what these, uh, these Divas are competing for,
the opportunity to wrestle Candice Michelle
for the WWE Women's title.
[Lawler] It's all about the Divas, JR.
It is about to be party time in huge proportions.
[Lawler] Oh man!
[Ross] The former Playboy cover girl Candice Michelle,
reigning WWE Women's champ.
[Garcia] And now please welcome the Divas representing Raw.
First, Maria.
[rock music playing]
Beth Phoenix.
Melina.
Jillian Hall.
And Mickie James.
[Lawler] Wow! The Raw Divas.
[Garcia] And the Divas representing SmackDown.
Torrie Wilson.
-[Lawler] Torrie! -[Garcia] Victoria.
-[Lawler] Wow. -[Garcia] Kristal.
And Michelle McCool.
[Lawler] Oh man!
[Garcia] And the Divas representing ECW Extreme Exposé,
featuring Layla, Kelly, and Brooke.
[Lawler] Boy, JR, between Raw, SmackDown, and ECW,
the sexiest women on television are in that ring right now.
[Ross] Sexy and athletic, no doubt about that.
The stakes are high.
Again, you heard the rules. No pins or submissions.
To be eliminated,
these Divas must be thrown from the ring and both of their feet touching the floor.
[bell rings]
[Lawler] And, look, our view is, uh, somewhat obscured here
by the Women's Champion, Candice Michelle.
Not that I'm complaining.
[Ross] Every Diva for themselves in this battle royal here at SummerSlam.
The 20th edition of SummerSlam, "The Biggest Party of the Summer,"
and this is quite the extravaganza.
[Lawler] Yes, it is.
Divas everywhere.
Wow.
This is… My eyes are…
This is just, like, uh, making my eyeballs very happy, JR.
[Ross] So, King, you think about this situation.
The winner of this, uh, battle royal
gets that shot at Candice Michelle and the title.
That means the WWE Women's title could go, theoretically, to… to any brand.
To ECW or to Friday Night SmackDown.
[Lawler] Well, depending on who wins this Diva Battle Royal.
[Ross] I'm somewhat intrigued by the interesting array of ring attire.
[Lawler] Oh yes. It's wonderful.
You're gonna have to do most of the action calling here, JR,
'cause I'm gonna have to have my smile surgically removed after this match. Wow!
Oh, ow! Did you hear that?
[Ross] I heard it. A hard shot there by Beth Phoenix,
referred to as a Glamazon, actually.
[Lawler] Oh no!
I'm gonna tell you something, JR. As beautiful as these Divas are,
and as much as we enjoy watching them in the ring,
there's no doubt how athletic they are
and as much action as they bring to the… to these matches.
You just saw that. Who was that that was eliminated?
-[Ross] That was Brooke. -[Lawler] Look at Maria!
[Ross] Well, the Extreme Exposé--
[Lawler] Did you see that split, JR?
[Ross] I beg your pardon?
[Lawler] Did you see Maria?
Women are just a little bit more flexible than male athletes, I think.
-[Ross] Uh-oh. Look out. -[Lawler] Uh-oh.
Maria's not eliminated.
Look out! Oh! That's the end!
[Ross] Till now.
Raw loses a, uh, contestant from the battle royal.
Maria eliminated.
[Lawler] Was that Jillian Hall?
[Ross] Jillian Hall is…
[Lawler] Jillian sings like a bird, doesn't she?
A vulture, but that's technically still a bird.
[Ross] A vulture, yeah.
You're being kind to vultures.
[Lawler] Wait a minute here.
[Ross] Torrie Wilson… Torrie Wilson teetering,
but in the meantime, on the other side of the ring,
we've got an elimination.
That's, uh, Layla of ECW's Extreme Exposé.
Layla, we'll see you next time.
[Lawler] Mickie James now trying to…
trying to get Jillian Hall out of the ring.
[Ross] That's an arm roll.
Jillian Hall is so strong,
and Jillian has got a…
a vise-like grip on that… on the ropes.
[Lawler] What are we at?
Over here in the closest corner, there's that… I think Kelly Kelly.
[Ross] Ooh!
[Lawler] Gets an elbow to the back of her head.
Beth Phoenix.
[Ross] Beth Phoenix, "The Glamazon,"
just knocked down two Divas with… with one big shot.
[Lawler] Women's champ looking on here.
Of course, the winner of this, uh, battle royal
will face Candice Michelle for the Women's title. Oh, look out!
Mickie James…
[Ross] Mickie James survives
and slips down to the bottom rope,
neither foot touching the floor, so Mickie still eligible.
[Lawler] Kelly Kelly over here.
Once again, there's… We only have Torrie Wilson…
Whoa!
[Ross] Victoria from SmackDown…
[Lawler] She's eliminated by Kristal.
[Ross] Why are you writing down your phone number? I've got your number.
[Lawler] What?
[Ross] And Kristal
teetering on the apron.
And, uh…
Ooh!
And Michelle McCool eliminated her fellow SmackDown teammate,
somewhat inadvertently, I'd suggest, but it is every Diva for themselves.
[Lawler] Here you see… Look at that.
Kristal eliminated.
[Ross] SmackDown was smacked down.
[Lawler] Yes.
[Ross] Kelly had, uh, Beth Phoenix mounted from behind, and…
[Lawler] There's a lot of screaming and moaning going on.
Oh gosh! There goes Kelly Kelly.
-[Ross] Kelly Kelly… -[Lawler] She's one of my favorites.
She looks like my fourth wife.
[Ross] Your fourth wife?
-How many wives have you had? -[Lawler] Three.
Oh, look out.
Watch it here.
Ooh!
Mickie James in the corner, and she's in trouble. No.
[Ross] Remember, folks, no pins or submissions.
The ladies must be thrown from the ring, both feet touching the floor.
[Lawler] Hang on, Mickie!
Oh, oh! Whoa!
[Ross] Mickie hanging on.
Mickie James, who got a great ovation coming out…
And Torrie Wilson, I think, just eliminated Jillian Hall.
[Lawler] Yes, she did.
And, in the process, saved Mickie James.
Ooh, what-- Oh, there goes Mickie James!
[Ross] Melina with a running, uh, assault on her rival, Mickie James.
And we're down to the proverbial final four.
[Lawler] Whether Melina wins or not,
I'm sure she just accomplished one of her goals right there
by eliminating Mickie James.
[Ross] One of these four ladies will, uh, challenge Candice Michelle
for the WWE Women's title sometime in the future.
[Lawler] Referee, look… Is that a chokehold there? Wait a minute.
-[Ross] It's Torrie Wilson and Melina… -[Melina screams]
…Michelle McCool and Beth Phoenix,
the four remaining stars.
And, man, what an athletic maneuver that was by Michelle McCool.
Great flexibility, great athleticism.
Hard clothesline.
[Lawler] It's Melina!
[Ross] And Melina…
We can say adios to Melina,
who will not be challenging Candice Michelle.
[Lawler] Well, as beautiful as Melina was, her exit from the ring was not pretty.
And, JR, look what we have left.
[Ross] We've got two ladies from SmackDown,
Michelle McCool and Torrie Wilson,
and Beth Phoenix representing Monday Night Raw.
There can only be one winner.
[Lawler] Oh, wait, wait, wait!
[Ross] Oh, and the power
of Beth Phoenix, and that leaves Beth Phoenix,
who's obviously the strongest Diva in the WWE,
at least that's my assumption.
[Lawler] And then there were two. Nice block by Michelle,
and look at this offense here.
[Ross] Oh, good… good uppercut there by Michelle McCool.
It's down to a SmackDown and Raw Diva.
[Lawler] Uh-oh. But you're right, JR.
Beth Phoenix may just be too strong.
[Lawler] She is!
[Ross] How strong is this woman, Beth Phoenix,
who has won the battle royal?
[Garcia] Here is your winner, Beth Phoenix!
[Lawler] Oh man!
Look out, Candice.
[Ross] One of those shopping trips gone bad for all these other Divas,
because now Beth Phoenix can shop for the WWE Women's Championship.
-[MVP's theme music playing] -[Lawler] Wait a minute.
♪ You hear the clock ticking ♪
-♪ Tick-tock ♪ -♪ You about to stop living ♪
-♪ Tick-tock ♪ -♪ I want you to remember me ♪
-♪ Tick-tock ♪ -♪ But the day don't have no memory… ♪
[Ross] What's this about?
[Lawler] Well, MVP told Mr. McMahon earlier
that he wanted to be involved in some kind of competition
here at SummerSlam, "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
But what kind of competition was he talking about?
[Ross] That's a good question.
Maybe a question only MVP can answer.
♪ …when i call up my troops ♪
♪ I'm the one like Neo, cocky like TO ♪
♪ Nobody could guard me Like I'm shooting a free throw ♪
♪ This is illegal, my flow is… ♪
[Lawler] Well, MVP says he's always about ice.
[booing]
I don't care how many of the sexiest women on television you place in the ring.
It doesn't change the fact that no one bought a ticket to see them.
Everybody here bought a ticket to see the United States Champion, MVP.
[booing]
You can't have "The Biggest Party of the Summer"
without the most valuable player in the game.
All right, settle down, settle down.
You know, back when I was poor,
growing up in Opa-locka, Liberty City, you know, 305,
and I couldn't afford much,
I was known to, uh,
crack a 40.
[Lawler chuckles]
Reluctantly, I admit I used to drink beer.
But now that I am the highest-paid entertainer
in the history of SmackDown,
my tastes have become oh so much more refined.
See, now I only consume beverages that are suitable to an MVP.
You know, Louis XIV, Cristal.
So we already know that I'm better than you.
[booing]
So I'm going to lower myself
and engage in a common man's activity.
Something that all of you, and Matt Hardy, can relate to.
[crowd] What?
I'm gonna lower myself and engage in a
beer-drinking contest.
So, Teddy Long, I hope you got Matt Hardy ready.
Matt, if you're ready,
why don't you come out here and join the party?
[Cole] Beer drinking?
[Layfield] Got us a beer-drinking contest.
[Cole] Well, it is SummerSlam, "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
[Matt Hardy's theme music playing]
John, don't forget,
we're having another competition tonight, Matt Hardy and MVP,
but don't forget, this coming Friday night on SmackDown,
MVP and Matt Hardy are gonna have to team up
versus Deuce and Domino with the WWE Tag Team titles on the line.
These two, who can't stand each other, have gotta team together.
[Layfield] Yeah, but how great is MVP to come out here
and lower himself to the common person like you,
like all the fans beneath him,
and drink beer in a beer-drinking contest against Matt Hardy?
[Cole] Not what I would expect out of MVP, a beer-drinking contest.
[Layfield] He's a Cristal guy.
He's showing how he relates to the common man.
What a great guy.
[Cole] We weren't even scheduled to have a contest here at SummerSlam.
[Layfield] I love MVP.
[crowd chanting] Hardy! Hardy!
[Cole] What are the rules?
Montell,
before we drink this beer…
[crowd chanting] We want Austin!
…you know, in all these competitions we've been having…
all these competitions we've been having,
you're gonna win some, and I'm gonna win some.
That's just how it is.
But as far as you being better than me, as far as you being better than anyone,
that's wrong.
[inaudible]
But I'll tell you where you are right.
You referred to me earlier as a common man?
That's right. I did.
You're common.
Well, I am a common man.
I'm a normal guy, man,
and I am proud of that fact.
[cheering]
You see,
I'm sure you think you can out-drink me…
Oh, I know I can.
I know… I know I can out-drink you.
But you know what, MVP?
Tonight, I'm not even gonna try.
-And you want me to tell you why? -Oh, please do.
Well, uh,
you remember a couple of weeks ago,
we were supposed to have a boxing match. Remember that?
Yeah, I remember quite well.
And you picked a, uh, a substitute.
[cheering]
It was one of the all-time greats.
If you remember, it was Evander Holyfield,
former four-time world heavyweight champion.
You remember?
I remember.
[crowd chanting] Austin! Austin! Austin!
Whoo!
Well, uh, tonight, Montell,
I've actually, uh, picked a suitable substitute myself.
-[laughs] -[cheering]
And, uh,
he, uh, is actually one of the all-time greats in beer drinking.
[cheering]
[crowd chanting] Austin! Austin! Austin!
-[glass shatters] -[crowd roars]
["Stone Cold" Steve Austin's theme music playing]
[Layfield] Oh no! That's not fair.
-[Cole laughing] -[Layfield] That's not fair.
[Cole] The greatest beer drinker of them all!
[Layfield] You can't do that to MVP.
[Cole] Hey, MVP did it to Matt Hardy a couple of weeks ago.
[Layfield]
Evander Holyfield is just Evander Holyfield.
That is freaking "Stone Cold"!
[Cole] And you know all about "Stone Cold" in beer-drinking contests.
[Layfield] I know all about him. Last time I was in one, he broke my nose.
[Cole] Over 17,000 on their feet
for one of the greatest champions of all time, "Stone Cold"!
[Layfield] This is not fair.
Steve Austin, he sold out this building 50 times.
They love him here, but this is not fair.
[Cole] Couldn't happen to a better guy, the United States Champion.
[Cole laughing]
-[music fades] -[cheering]
[Cole laughing]
[Cole] Let the games begin.
[Layfield] He finished that quick.
-"Stone Cold"'s just warming up. -[Cole] Yeah.
[Layfield] I've never seen anybody run the ropes for a beer-drinking contest.
But it is "Stone Cold".
[Cole] He takes his beer drinking seriously.
[Layfield] "Stone Cold" doesn't wanna pull a muscle.
[Cole] Well, no 12-ounce curls for Steve.
[Layfield] If MVP can drink, we may be here all night.
[Cole chuckling]
[inaudible]
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Austin!
[crowd clapping]
[chanting continues]
[chanting fades]
-[Cole laughing] -[Layfield] MVP's used to Cristal.
This should only be done by professionals.
[Cole] Well, MVP lowering himself to drink with the common man.
Got a bit more than he bargained for here tonight.
-Oh, Stunner! -[cheering]
Stunner!
["Stone Cold" Steve Austin's theme music playing]
[Cole] The Continental Airlines Arena has come unglued!
[Layfield] How unfair is this?
[Cole] I believe MVP is gonna have to forfeit.
-Game, set, and match. -[Layfield] Ballgame!
[Cole laughing]
-[Cole] John, come on. -[Layfield] Come on, what?
[Cole] Give me a hell yeah!
[Layfield] I'm not gonna give you a hell yeah! I am not.
[Cole] MVP…
[Layfield] Look what he did to my guy MVP!
[Cole] He's your guy, all right. But the common man ruled again, didn't he?
[Layfield] I hope you're happy.
[Cole] Hey, go back to Wall Street with all your Cristal-drinking buddies.
I'll hang out with "Stone Cold" anytime.
-Watch this. -[Layfield] He wouldn't hang out with you.
[Cole] The Stunner!
[Layfield] He wouldn't hang out with me either.
[Cole] MVP…
By the way,
for the record,
MVP has lost another competition to Matt Hardy.
[Layfield] This competition was not fair.
This is like putting a Little League tee-ball kid
up against Nolan Ryan in his prime.
You don't have a beer-drinking contest and bring "Stone Cold" out here.
How unfair is that?
[Cole] MVP asked for it.
Maybe he shouldn't have got the surrogate Evander Holyfield.
[Layfield] MVP did not ask for "Stone Cold".
There's a world between Evander Holyfield and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
[Cole] Well, you know when the smell of beer permeates the arena
that "The Rattlesnake" is back.
Another SummerSlam memory for "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
[Layfield] That's no way to debut MVP at SummerSlam.
[Cole] And a SummerSlam memory for all of us,
including MVP!
[music fades]
Look at that smile.
One of these days, MVP is gonna wipe that smile off your face, Teddy.
You've got it coming.
Where is that woman who's supposed to be here?
Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo!
Yo!
-Yo! -All right.
What's really hood? Chad, tell them what's hood.
Hey, yo, hey, yo, V-Mac, V-Mac, yo.
"V-Mac"?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, V-Mac, yo. Hey, yo, we were just thinking,
we know you're trying to find out who your son is and everything,
and we was thinking, it could be one of us.
Now, now, now, now, I know what you're thinking.
But, yo, we have a lot in common.
'Cause, yo, we like to make that money, money.
-Yeah, yeah. -That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! -That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! Come on. -That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! Come on! -That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! That money, money. -Come on!
Yeah, yeah! That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! That money, money. -Come on!
-Yeah, yeah! That money, money. -Uh! Uh!
Yeah, yeah! That money, money.
-Come on, now! -Yeah, yeah! That money, money.
Yeah, yeah! That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! That money, money. -Come on!
Yeah, yeah! That money, money.
-Yeah, yeah! That money, money. -Come on!
Yeah, yeah!
Fellas?
[crowd cheering]
Damn!
[crowd cheering]
♪ Hey… ♪
[Styles] Since Vengeance: Night of Champions,
ECW Champion John Morrison
has had someone nipping at his, uh, fur-covered heels.
Yeah, that's the challenger, you know,
the challenger, CM Punk, who's gunning big-time for the ECW title.
Right now, let's take a closer look at reigning ECW Champion John Morrison.
[rock music playing]
[Morrison] I am "The Shaman of Sexy,"
the new face of Extreme,
the ECW Champion,
John Morrison.
My mission is to make believers out of all of you.
I'm beyond good and evil.
My fame is infinite.
Some are born to sweet delight
and others born to endless night.
Join me in the Palace of Wisdom
or continue being slaves to society.
[Tazz] This is a new ECW World Champion right here.
It's a new John Morrison.
[Morrison] You know what, Punk? You've been knocking at my door
at the Palace of Wisdom ever since I became the ECW Champion.
I am a portal to the infinite, Punk.
You are temporary, fleeting,
a footnote to an average reality.
[Tazz] The new ECW World Champion
just annihilated CM Punk.
[Morrison] For you, Punk, this is the end.
No one will remember your name.
[music fades]
[John Morrison's theme music playing]
♪ Now listen… ♪
[Tazz] Time to get a little Extreme, baby, at "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
[Styles] And there is the Extreme enigma,
the reigning ECW standard-bearer,
John Morrison.
[bell rings]
[Roberts] This bout, set for one fall, is for the ECW Championship.
Introducing first,
from Los Angeles, California,
weighing 219 lbs,
he is the current ECW Champion,
John Morrison.
[Tazz] I'll tell you, Joe, you gotta be a special individual
to be sporting a fur coat like that at "The Biggest Party of the Summer."
[Styles] Doesn't get any more special than the champion
and the championship,
and this past week on ECW,
John Morrison pulled ahead in the game of one-upmanship
when, in a tag team matchup, he defeated CM Punk.
Tagged in, Punk never saw it,
corkscrew neckbreaker.
[Tazz] No doubt it was impressive.
"The Shaman of Sexy," the self-proclaimed, that is,
John Morrison, slightly arrogant is our champion in ECW.
[music fades]
[Styles] You think a little hubristic is the champion?
[Tazz] Ha, just a tad.
[CM Punk's theme music playing]
[Roberts] And the challenger, from Chicago, Illinois,
weighing 222 lbs,
CM Punk.
[Styles] CM Punk earned this championship opportunity.
It was John Morrison's 15 Minutes of Fame.
The rules were you either had to last 15 minutes with the champion
or somehow beat him,
and that is what CM Punk did.
CM Punk earned this championship opportunity.
[Tazz] I don't wanna sound corny, hokey, or sappy,
but CM Punk is not the type of guy who takes shortcuts.
A very focused, a very driven athlete
is the challenger, is CM Punk.
[Styles] John Morrison called that victory,
the 15 Minutes of Fame victory, a fluke,
so at Saturday Night's Main Event, again in a tag team matchup, Tazz,
you called it. CM Punk found a different way
to get the duke over John Morrison.
-[Tazz] Absolutely. You know… -[bell rings]
My observation over getting to know CM Punk a little bit,
he's kinda like a throwback
to being an ECW Original of sorts.
He's kinda got that style.
[Styles] And CM Punk, with the double-leg, all over the champion.
[Tazz] Yeah, no warming up in a bullpen here.
Punk going right after the champ.
[Styles] No, this issue is about, of course, the ECW Championship,
but this has got very personal between John Morrison and CM Punk,
and that makes for a more explosive championship matchup.
Morrison going for a single-leg.
-Punk just sprawled. -[Tazz] Whoa!
Well, Joey, listen, every single time we've seen Punk and Morrison have at it
in an ECW ring…
Look at this!
Boom!
I mean, they… they've just… they've just went at it tooth and nail.
Both very young, both very quick,
both very savvy in the ring.
Very tough, very credible athletes.
[Styles] And both athletes exemplify
the young, hungry locker room we have over on ECW.
-[Tazz] Watch out! Watch out! -[Styles] Oh!
And one thing Morrison is not hungry for is a pair of boots,
'cause he just took them both right in the mouth.
[Tazz] Morrison might just have lost a tooth,
and you know how much money that guy's teeth must cost? Ha!
Do you have any idea? I don't know.
[Styles] How do I… What am I, a dentist?
[Tazz] There's no comeback there. Watch out.
[Styles] CM Punk trying to drive the shoulder.
[Tazz] It's basically a rhetorical question.
[Styles] Yeah, I know.
[Tazz] Look at Morrison here.
-[Styles] Oh man! -[Tazz] Holy cow!
[Styles] Punk may have been broken in half.
Unorthodox by John Morrison. Punk crashing down on the ring apron.
[Tazz] Those are the type of maneuvers we see from the champ
week in and week out.
Very unorthodox, very unique,
very different is Morrison. Here we go.
[Styles] Cover. Champ's on top. Hooks the leg.
[Tazz] Well, John Morrison, our ECW Champion,
watch this, the spine of Punk.
[Styles] Oh man!
[Tazz] Not a nice way to spend a sunny Sunday night, I'll tell you.
Morrison so… just so cocky, so self-centered.
Now just with a full… a top mount on Punk.
[Styles] All over him. Just raining down elbows and fists
to the midsection and behind the ear, the forehead.
[Tazz] You know, Morrison's already got his after-party celebration planned.
A plethora of, you know, of women and, uh, probably more women
in New York City. And I was invited, I wanna point that out. Ooh!
[Styles] The invitation's probably making its way to me as we speak.
CM Punk almost knocked cold.
Two-count only as Punk finds a way… finds a way out, finds the back door,
and now Morrison all over Punk. Look at this.
[Tazz] Well, say what you want about Morrison,
most people don't like Morrison, they despise his attitude,
despise… you know, he has no confidence problem,
but the fact of the matter is, Morrison has been proving himself
as ECW Champion week in and week out.
[Styles] Morrison a minute ago trying to hyperextend the elbow
and twist off the head of CM Punk.
Punk managed to find an escape,
only to have his neck snapped once again by the champion.
[Tazz] Punk's gotta be careful here. You don't wanna--
-[Styles] Oh man! -[Tazz] You don't wanna let Morrison--
-Here we go. -[Styles] This could be it.
Leg is hooked. The champ's on top.
[Tazz] You don't wanna let the champion, Morrison,
build up any more momentum than he has so far in this matchup.
[Styles] Heading into this matchup, it was this past week on ECW
in a tag team matchup, Morrison tagged himself into the matchup.
Punk had no idea that Morrison was behind him.
As a result, Morrison got the one-two-three
and rode a wave of momentum here into SummerSlam.
[Tazz] That did happen to CM Punk, no doubt,
and I hate to say it,
but that don't matter as much as what matters right now.
Right now, the ECW Championship is at stake.
Can Punk do it tonight?
[Styles] Ooh! Punk looking for that backfist.
Morrison had it well scouted.
These two athletes very familiar with one another.
-[Tazz] Whoa, look at this! -[Styles] Punk with the tip-up.
A new champ--
No! Two-count only, says referee Scott Armstrong.
[Tazz] And again, give it up for Morrison. No wasted motion.
Going right back after Punk!
-Uh-oh. -[Styles] Catapult. Punk, nice recovery.
High crossbody.
Punk on top, and two-count only.
[Tazz] Well, quick, intelligent counter by CM Punk.
We've seen, Joe, the desire
that… that CM Punk has shown to be ECW Champion.
[Styles] Punk looking for that bulldog. Morrison put the brakes on.
-[Tazz] Ooh! -[Styles] Punk with the step-up enzuigiri.
Used Morrison as a ladder. Connected.
Two, and it's-- No!
[Tazz] I thought that was it.
[Styles] Give props to the champ to get that shoulder up off the canvas
after getting his brain scrambled by Punk.
[Tazz] Well, CM Punk-- Oh!
Quick powerslam.
[Styles] Cover. Two and-- No.
Tazz, you talk about what a great champion John Morrison is,
how he represents ECW.
Can you imagine what a great champion CM Punk would be for ECW?
[Tazz] Well, I think… I didn't throw the word "great" out there.
I get your point. I think Morrison is climbing rapidly
you know, in the, uh-- Oh!
Building his legacy.
And, you know, now CM Punk…
Now Punk's in trouble here, but Punk…
[Styles] Cover. Morrison on top…
[Tazz] If… if CM Punk can capitalize at one point in this match
on Morrison's cockiness and his attitude,
Punk has… has the ability to walk out of here champion,
without a doubt, I'm telling you that right now.
[Styles] Oh!
[Tazz] Now Punk zoning in.
-Morrison's in trouble here. -[Styles] Punk may feel this is his time.
Oh! Moonsault from CM Punk. I don't know if we've seen that before.
Punk on top. This could be it.
Oh man!
Half a count away from seeing CM Punk
as new ECW Champion this coming Tuesday on Sci Fi.
[Tazz] Well, CM Punk does have the skill set to get it done.
Morrison knows that. You can feel the angst in Morrison.
I think Morrison's sweating Punk more than we all know.
Punk hits the corner hard.
-Morrison charges… -[Tazz] Whoa!
[Styles] Oh! Not a good way for the A-list elitist to land.
[Tazz] Or for his after party later. [chuckles]
Or lack thereof.
-[Tazz] Oh, oh, look at this! -[Styles] Oh man!
[Tazz] CM Punk damn near decapitating the champion.
[Styles] Morrison was defenseless straddling that top rope,
and Punk took full advantage.
Was it enough? Can Punk capitalize?
[Tazz] Watch the impact. CM Punk, as you said, to your point,
capitalizing on an opening
and zoning in and nailing the champion.
[Styles] Inside cradle! That's how Punk got the victory--
[Tazz] Oh!
[Styles] And shades of Saturday Night's Main Event right there.
-[Tazz] Oh! Oh! -[Styles] That speaks for itself.
[Tazz] Right on the button. Punk hits the mark.
CM Punk, man…
[Styles] Second time in this matchup,
John Morrison takes a boot right at the base of the neck.
[Tazz] Uh-oh, look at Punk here. Tippy-top rope.
What's CM Punk got in mind?
[Styles] Oh, Morrison hangs on.
Punk going for the 'rana. Nowhere to go but down.
Morrison on top.
Hey, feet on the rope! Feet on the ropes!
-[Tazz] What the… -[bell rings]
Oh wow.
[Styles] Referee Scott Armstrong never saw the feet on the ropes.
[Tazz] Punk got robbed.
Punk got robbed.
[Roberts] Your winner of this match and still ECW Champion,
John Morrison.
[Styles] The resourceful young champion, John Morrison,
knew exactly where the referee was
and used CM Punk to shield himself from the referee's point of view.
[Tazz] And you've gotta give… The bottom line is,
you know, John Morrison retains the ECW Championship.
That's the fact of the matter.
John Morrison was clever enough to pull it off.
CM Punk did get robbed though.
[Styles] CM Punk…
What must be going through the mind of "The Straight Edge Superstar"
to come so close, to come all the way to SummerSlam
after earning this championship opportunity?
[Tazz] Well, as a great man once said,
by any means necessary.
And we just witnessed it. [chuckles]
[Styles] There he is, still ECW Champion, John Morrison.
[Cole] And who will emerge tonight as World Champion?
On the left, the seven-foot-three, 420-lb Great Khali, the champion.
On the right, Batista, the number one contender,
looking to win the world title for a third time.
Still to come tonight.
Well, to say that I will be totally objective in this next match
would be a damn lie. Not gonna happen.
Uh, me either.
I second that emotion right now. But I can't wait for it.
We're looking forward to the return of Triple H,
but perhaps more importantly,
we're looking forward to the return of Triple H
to kick Booker T's royal…
[King Booker's theme music playing]
[bell rings]
[Garcia] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, being accompanied by Queen Sharmell,
from Houston, Texas,
weighing in at 256 lbs,
King Booker!
[Ross] Twenty-one major championship reigns
in King Booker's career,
including the World Heavyweight title.
But the last two weeks,
we have seen a very ugly side of King Booker, Jerry Lawler.
[Lawler] Well, you're right.
There's that, uh, crown that King Booker wanted me to put on his head.
I just wanted to show him exactly what I thought of it.
And, you know, here you're about to see
what could be a major factor in this match tonight,
Queen Sharmell.
Whenever Booker… King Booker gets the upper hand,
it seems to be after Queen Sharmell has made a difference in the match.
[Ross] Very disturbing right here.
The King getting hit with a… monitor,
and then, of course, last week,
with you gone…
Now kiss my ring.
[Lawler] And see, once again, Sharmell
from behind, JR. You had to
kiss Booker's ring.
Well, Booker certainly thinks he is the monarch of the mat.
Well, it was hard to watch that, JR, while I was at home
but at the time, I thought you should have told King Booker to kiss your ring,
the one you keep in your back pocket.
Oh, look at him.
[Ross] King Booker said that tonight's return of Triple H
was going to be a tragedy.
Earlier tonight, King Booker said that this is King Booker's kingdom,
the Raw Kingdom,
and that Triple H will, before the night is over,
bow down to King Booker.
[Lawler] Uh, King Booker said a lot.
He better keep his words soft and sweet,
because I got a feeling he may have to eat them.
[Ross] King Booker has been a wretched human being,
and he deserves a government mule beating.
[Lawler] Well, JR,
I think the world feels that there's one man who can put an end
to the reign of this so-called king.
Oh yeah. What, you wanna point over here to us?
[inaudible]
[Ross comments indistinctly]
[cheering]
[inaudible]
[Lawler] We're about to witness the moment
we have all been waiting for for a long, long time.
[Ross] Almost nine months in the making.
[cheering]
[beeping]
[man] Gentlemen,
we can
rebuild him.
[intriguing music playing]
We have the technology.
He will be better than he was before.
Better.
Faster.
[inspirational music playing]
Stronger.
[music fades]
[cheering]
[Triple H] Are… you… ready?
[rapid beeping]
[continuous tone]
[tone ends]
[cheering]
[Triple H's theme music playing]
♪ Behold the king ♪
♪ The king of kings ♪
♪ It's time to play the game ♪
♪ Time to play the game… ♪
[laughter]
[cheering]
[Garcia] And from Greenwich, Connecticut,
weighing in at 255 lbs,
welcome back,
"The King" Triple H!
♪ I am the game You don't wanna play me ♪
♪ I am control… ♪
[Lawler] Hey, King Booker!
He's ba-ack!
♪ I am the pain And I know you can't take me ♪
♪ Look over your shoulder, ready to run ♪
♪ Like a good little bitch From a smoking gun ♪
♪ I am the game, and I make the rules ♪
♪ So move on out here And die like a fool ♪
♪ Try to figure out What my move's gonna be ♪
♪ Come on over, sucker Why don't you ask me? ♪
♪ Don't you forget There's a price you can pay ♪
♪ 'Cause I am the game And I want to play ♪
[cheering]
♪ Time to play the game ♪
[laughter]
♪ Time to play the game… ♪
[Ross] Ladies and gentlemen, it is "Game" time.
♪ It's all about the game and how… ♪
[Lawler] I don't know about you, JR.
We've both been around this profession for a long, long time,
and it's not often that I kinda get chills up and down my back,
but I got them right now. This is great!
Can you feel this?
[Ross] These are the moments that you live for
when you're in our position in this business.
When you have the privilege of sitting at ringside,
these are the moments you remember.
This man, Triple H,
with a severely torn quadricep,
a thigh muscle, the biggest muscle in the body,
torn from the bone.
Went through almost nine months
of painful, grueling physical rehabilitation
for this very moment on this very night.
[Lawler] And King Booker,
he said earlier that he wanted Triple H
to drink in this moment.
Well, I got a feeling "The Game" is doing this… just that.
♪ Time to play the game… ♪
[Lawler] Wow.
♪ Time to play the game… ♪
[laughter]
[inaudible]
[Lawler] Now, King Booker can act as cool, calm, and collected
as he wants to be,
but I can guarantee you right now,
King Booker's got butterflies in his stomach the size of eagles.
[Ross] This crowd of 17,441,
that sold out in 40 minutes back in January,
can't get enough of "The King of Kings,"
Triple H.
♪ It's all about your debt And if you can pay it ♪
♪ It's all about pain And who's gonna make it ♪
♪ I am the game You don't wanna play me ♪
♪ I am control No way you can shake me ♪
♪ I am heavy debt No way you can pay me… ♪
[Ross] The one and only "Cerebral Assassin."
A ten-time champion.
A future Hall of Famer.
But can "The Game" be as good as he once was
in his first match against an athlete the caliber, King,
whether we like the man or not,
King Booker is an amazing in-ring competitor.
This is gonna be a tremendous contest,
both physically and emotionally.
[Lawler] I don't care how hard you try, JR.
You're not gonna get me to say one good thing about King Booker tonight.
King Booker is upset,
looking on with envy,
that he doesn't have the accolade of the fans
the way Triple H does right now.
[Ross] Referee Marty Elias assigned this one-fall contest
here at the 20th edition of SummerSlam
from the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
-[bell rings] -The bell sounds, and we are ready.
[Lawler] Oh, look at this cheap shot!
[Ross] And King Booker, the royal reprobate,
trying to make short work of "The Game."
But Triple H fights back big-time.
Thunderous right hands.
And another right, and down goes Booker.
[Lawler] Oh! [laughs]
[Ross] You can hear the smack of that clothesline.
[cheering]
And in the early going of this contest,
"The Game" is dominating.
[Lawler] Well, you may have to do most of the talking in this match, JR,
because I got a feeling I might be smiling as much as I did
during the Diva Battle Royal.
I am gonna really enjoy seeing "The Game"
kick some of this royalty… out of King Booker.
I'd like to see him kick him right in his royal arse.
You're going down!
-I'm the king of the world! -[booing]
[Lawler] Suddenly, King Booker has lost that royal accent.
[Ross] And downstairs in retaliation goes, uh, Triple H.
And now King Booker in a disadvantage in the corner right above us.
Big-time right hands.
[Lawler] Oh yeah!
[Ross] Hard Irish whip.
"The Game" turned,
but King Booker still got the elbow in, right to the side of the head.
And now the… another reversal.
King Booker put on the brakes.
[Lawler] Didn't do him much good.
[Ross] Much to his personal chagrin,
as his lady in waiting, Queen Sharmell,
coming to his, uh, assist.
[Lawler] And "The Game" not gonna let King Booker rest,
on his laurels or anything else. Oh!
[Ross] Both King Booker and Triple H have to be aware of the ten-count.
Neither wanna be counted out.
The referee up to five.
He has a ten-count to work with, as we alluded to.
[Lawler] Uh-oh.
[Ross] Booker got that… that shot in,
and "The Game" now being challenged physically.
-[Lawler] Look out! -[Ross] Facebuster!
Triple H, with one of his signature maneuvers,
goes for the cover.
Gets the cover and a near-fall.
[Lawler] Queen Sharmell over there…
[Ross] Sharmell, the Queen, maybe having heart palpitations.
[Lawler] Yeah. I didn't think royalty was supposed to sweat.
[Ross] If she has a heart.
[Lawler] Oh, look at this. See? I…
She could be the wild card in this equation. Ooh, right in the leg.
[Ross] Low dropkick, right in that… in the thigh,
and King Booker… Certainly, the veteran from Houston knows now
he's gonna find out just exactly how well healed Triple H is
from this quadriceps surgery.
[Elias] Get back in the ring. Let's go!
-[Lawler] Now… -[Elias] Come on!
King Booker is a lot of things, but he is definitely maniacal.
I mean, look at him targeting that…
that surgically repaired leg of "The Game,"
going right after it.
[Ross] No one should be surprised that…
Didn't try it… Wouldn't try it in, uh…
And Triple H, uh…
[Lawler] One good turn deserves another. One good leg deserves another.
[Ross] Nice chopblock in the shadow of Giants Stadium,
and now the figure-4 leglock, shades of the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.
-[Lawler] Look at Sharmell. -[Ross[ Oh, the rake of the eyes.
That woman just stuck her hands right in the eyes,
her fingers right in the eyes of Triple H.
[Lawler] Fingernails.
[Ross] And King Booker quickly, quickly seizing the… the moment
that his queen created. The cover--
And Triple H rolling that right shoulder off the canvas.
And now King Booker in a…
certainly in a dominating mount position,
hammering down on… on Triple H.
[Lawler] Boy, you can say what you want to
about King Booker being an amazing athlete,
but I've looked back on him,
and it seems every time he gets the upper hand,
it's thanks to his… his queen there at ringside.
[Ross] And a strong right hand that sends Triple H back to the corner,
and King Booker using any means he can,
being very aggressive,
as we knew that King Booker would.
The issue here is that King Booker has a chance
to really etch his name in history, even more profoundly than it already is,
by beating Triple H on "The Game"'s return to the WWE.
-[Lawler] It'd be unthinkable. -[Ross] Ooh!
These two men are exchanging big-time rights.
And it looks like Triple H is getting the better of the situation
with those thunderous right hands.
[Lawler] King Booker, he's got those spaghetti legs going now.
He's wobbly, and there he goes!
[Ross] Booker tossed over the top.
The King looks like he may be dethroned here.
[Lawler] Look out! [chuckles]
[Ross] And, uh, King Booker, meet the ring steps.
They're glad to meet you.
Four!
[Lawler] Oh baby!
Ooh!
Look at that hip, right into…
I can give you a nice little hip pointer.
[Ross] And Booker holding his, uh, his thigh muscle.
He may have done some damage to his thigh
on that second trip to the ring steps. And now the--
[Lawler] Well, JR, it would be a shame if something happened to Booker's leg,
and he had to go have surgery.
Oh! Would you miss him?
[Ross] No.
Quite frankly, not.
But I wish no ill will on anyone to that degree.
A torn quadricep is a horrific injury.
-[Lawler] Oh man! -[Ross] And King Booker… Look at this.
-[Lawler] Look out! -[Ross] Spinebuster!
The Double A spinebuster!
[Lawler] Oh yeah, Sharmell!
[Ross] I'm not gonna wish any serious injury, like a torn quad,
on any human being.
And "The Game" responds with a big-time spinebuster,
a difference-making, high-impact offensive maneuver.
-[Lawler] Uh-oh! -[Ross] Pedigree time!
Oh God!
Booker just checked out of the Pedigree.
[Lawler] Thanks to that hard shot to "The Game"'s knee.
[Ross] "The Game" locked in the beginnings of the Pedigree.
Another shot downstairs.
-And King Booker-- -[Lawler] Scissor kick, missed!
-[Ross] Scissors kick, no. -[Lawler] Uh-oh.
-And-- -[Lawler] Look out!
[Ross] Whoa! Book End, yes.
Book End, yes.
Both legs…
-And no fall! -[Lawler] Whew!
[Ross] Man, the… referee Elias' hand coming down,
about a second or less away from King Booker winning this match
with the Book End.
[Queen Sharmell] Come on, baby, finish him!
[Lawler] I wish someone would stuff a sock in the mouth of Sharmell.
She got nothing to say, but that don't prevent her from saying it.
Hard knees to the face by King Booker,
high impact knees.
-[Lawler] Oh! -[Ross] Very blunt, very straightforward.
But very effective. Side slam by King Booker.
[Lawler] Uh-oh.
Sharmell, if she ever gets laryngitis, she'll go to the ICU.
And King Booker has a chance…
[Lawler] This is not good for "The Game"
if Booker hits this… Oh!
[Ross] Big-time high-risk maneuver.
King Booker…
Man, he's pulling out every maneuver,
all… every stop that Booker has learned along the way.
What a high-risk maneuver that was, looking for that leg drop.
[Lawler] Well, Triple H has had a little time to recover.
Let's see if that's gonna make a difference. Oh baby!
[Ross] Triple H looking--
Oh, for the Pedigree.
Got countered.
Back downstairs.
-One more time. Will it-- -[Lawler] Pedigree!
[Ross] Yes! The Pedigree!
"The Game" stuck the Pedigree!
-"The Game" stuck the Pedigree! -[bell rings]
And Triple H is back!
-Triple H has beaten King Booker! -[Garcia] Here is your winner, Triple H!
♪ It's all about pain And who's gonna make it ♪
♪ I am the game You don't wanna play me… ♪
[Ross] I'm loving this.
The desire and the effort
and the heart of "The Game"
too much tonight for King Booker to overcome.
Perhaps, King, too much tonight
for any living man in the WWE to overcome.
[Lawler] Well, he got my standing ovation.
♪ Don't you forget There's a price you can pay ♪
♪ 'Cause I am the game And I want to play… ♪
[Ross] "The Game" is back,
and he looks amazing.
You gotta… And he had…
You know he had to have some wonder in his mind,
would I be as great as I once was?
There's no doubt in my mind that "The Game" is back,
and he will be as amazing as ever.
And we got him on Monday Night Raw.
[Lawler] And I think,
if I'm a halfway decent lipreader,
that "The Game" just said, "It doesn't get any better than this."
[Ross] We talk about the special moment
that we felt when Triple H was introduced.
Just think, ladies and gentlemen, of how "The Game" must feel right now
with this amazing, heartfelt, chilling ovation
from over 17,000 here at SummerSlam.
[Lawler] Well…
I mean, it's obvious that
Triple H really appreciates
our great WWE fans.
And they appreciate him.
[laughter]
Let's check this out one more time.
[Ross] Great series of counters. Bam!
And then finally, finally, Pedigree locked in.
[Ross] Well, a DX-like crotch chop there, King.
[Lawler] Yes, there was.
A big…
the big Pedigree and the three-count.
"The Game" victorious.
[Ross] "The Cerebral Assassin,"
as intense, as intimidating as ever,
is back in the WWE.
He's back, victorious at SummerSlam,
and I can't wait to see "The Game" continue on Monday Night Raw.
♪ I am the game You don't wanna play me ♪
♪ I am control No way you can shake me ♪
♪ I am heavy debt No way you can pay me ♪
♪ I am the pain And I know you can't take me ♪
♪ Look over your shoulder, ready to run ♪
♪ Like a good little bitch from a smoking gun ♪
♪ I am the game and I make the rules ♪
♪ So move on out here And die like a fool ♪
♪ Try to figure out What my move's gonna be ♪
♪ Come on over, sucker Why don't you ask me? ♪
♪ Don't you forget there's a price… ♪
[Cole] Two absolutely awe-inspiring returns tonight,
Rey Mysterio and Triple H,
and three weeks from tonight,
the return of "The Phenom," The Undertaker.
But right now, Michael, the lights are on bright.
There's gold on the line,
and you got Batista trying to climb Mount Everest
that is called The Great Khali.
[Cole] The World Heavyweight Championship on the line.
The story of this match, straightforward as you can get.
Batista must avoid the Khali Vise Grip.
Batista with a major uphill battle versus the champion.
[whooshing]
[Singh] The Great Khali is the greatest World Champion of all time.
[Cole] The monster's reign has begun.
[Singh] The Great Khali says this is gonna be a reign of vicious terror.
[Cole] This man may be
the most dominating individual that I have ever seen.
[Singh] And a reign of total domination.
[Layfield] I'm not sure anybody can beat The Great Khali.
[Khali] I'm the Heavyweight Champion!
[Singh] The Great Khali says that last week was supposed to be
the crowning achievement of his career.
A celebration honoring his life, his culture,
and most importantly, his World Heavyweight Championship.
But that didn't happen.
I wanna challenge you
for the World Heavyweight title,
and if you're so great,
you'll accept.
[speaking Punjabi]
No! No!
[booing]
[Cole] Oh, Batista doesn't want no for an answer.
[Long] At SummerSlam, for the World Heavyweight Championship…
[Cole] Batista with a Spear to The Great Khali!
[Long] …it will be The Great Khali versus Batista!
[Singh] Batista, you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into.
And here's a reminder of what The Great Khali is capable of.
[Layfield] Massive hands of Khali. It's like a vise grip.
[Cole] All the pressure from those massive hands.
Khali with both hands ripping and tearing
at the skull of Batista.
[Singh] When The Great Khali placed that giant Vise Grip on your head,
he wasn't even using full pressure.
But when The Great Khali does use full force with that Vise Grip,
your eyes will pop out of your head.
[Cole] With this devastating new hold in his arsenal,
how can Khali be stopped?
[music fades]
[whooshing]
[The Great Khali's theme music playing]
[Cole] And, John, that question will be answered right now.
Can the World Champion,
the seven-foot-three 420-lb monster,
be stopped?
[Layfield] No. In short, Mchael, no.
[bell rings]
[Chimel] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Making his way to the ring, from India,
standing over seven feet tall,
weighing in at 420 lbs,
he is the World Heavyweight Champion,
The Great Khali!
[Cole] The question of whether the champion can be stopped
will be answered right now.
Look at the size of the translator, Singh,
an average man, next to Khali.
[music fades]
[Layfield] There's a rumble in here, Michael.
-A big fight feel. -[Batista's theme music playing]
There it is!
[Cole] Because "The Animal" has been let out of his cage.
♪ Yeah! ♪
[Cole] Pure aggression.
Pure intensity.
Pure power.
[Layfield] And he's gonna need every bit of it against Khali.
[Chimel] And the challenger, from Washington, D.C.,
weighing in at 290 lbs,
Batista!
[Cole] If we learned one thing this past Friday night on SmackDown,
it is this.
Batista can take the champion off his feet.
Batista can make the champion vulnerable,
and you see that bandage on the forehead,
on the skull of Khali.
That was caused by Batista Friday night.
[Layfield] Batista did the one thing I wasn't sure,
as great as even Batista is, that he could do,
and that is take the fight to Khali.
He does that tonight, Batista might do the unthinkable,
and that is take that championship off of this massive giant.
[Cole] And that is what it is all about, the World Heavyweight Championship.
Batista looking to gain the gold for a third time in his career.
Khali looking to retain tonight.
This is the main event from SmackDown in front of over 17,000,
sold out in the Continental Airlines Arena.
And Khali showing his power early on.
And, John, Batista's game is all about power.
How can he bring that game to the table against this giant?
[Layfield] The key for Batista, he's gonna have to step outside the box.
He's gonna have to figure out a way to chop down this sequoia tree,
something that is not in Batista's core competency.
What is in Batista's is that he is a champion,
and if he wants it back, he better figure out a way
to take hold of Khali.
[Cole] You can only imagine, John, what it feels like
to be pummeled by those fists,
those fists of Khali the size of a skillet,
a frying pan.
[Layfield] On everything this giant has, Michael.
Look at the size of those feet, the elbows,
the hands, the forearms.
This is as big a man as we've ever had in this business.
[Cole] We've talked about his hands.
Khali's hands are as wide as an NFL football.
[Layfield] From tip to tip.
[Cole] We've used, though… He's used that giant Vise Grip…
[Layfield] Oh wow!
-[Cole] …to take down… -[Layfield] Wow!
He just knocked Batista down like a rag doll.
[Cole] Much like he did to Kane in the giant Vise Grip,
and the legendary Ric Flair in the giant Vise Grip,
and Batista not once but twice.
[Layfield] If Batista wants to be successful tonight
for a World Championship,
he's got to weather this storm.
[Cole] An early onslaught by the seven-foot-three, 420-pounder.
Batista has been able to mount…
has been able to mount no offense, John, in the early going.
[Layfield] Here's the problem.
To beat Khali, you've gotta get inside.
You get inside, you're close to that Vise Grip
that no one gets out of.
[Cole] And Batista…
Oh, and a great counter by Batista,
who needed to make it back into the ring before the ten count.
Remember, the title can only change hands via submission or pinfall.
Oh, and there is that chop!
[Layfield] How many times have we seen Batista hit a guy twice with a clothesline
and the guy never moves?
[Cole] A nonchalant cover on Batista, who manages to roll the shoulder out.
[Layfield] This is a dominating giant,
but you've gotta have more respect for your opponent,
and you wanna beat Batista,
you better at least cover him.
[Cole] Ooh!
It may only be a matter of time, John, before he does cover Batista again.
Khali is systematically picking Batista apart.
[Layfield] Michael, everything a giant does has more impact.
You look at Khali. It looks like it's slow.
The problem is, he's hitting you with sledgehammers.
[Cole] Yeah, it's like taking a tree limb
and driving a tree limb into the back of Batista.
And now those huge hands, those giant hands,
on the nerves, the pressure points of Batista.
[Layfield] Those huge trapezius muscles of Batista
just engulfed by the size of Khali's hands.
Batista has been so close to winning this World Championship,
and now, all of a sudden, he has the biggest challenge I've ever seen
in front of him here tonight.
[Cole] Try to take a hand and put it on your shoulder, on your trap area.
You can't cover the width of the trap area like Khali is doing here.
[Layfield] When that happens, Michael, you lose feeling.
You lose feeling in your elbows. You lose feeling in your arms.
You lose feeling… Pins and needles going down your back.
It's a nerve hold, Michael.
[Cole] It feels like when your arm goes to sleep
and you have no control over it.
[Layfield] Yeah, absolutely no control.
Your neck starts cramping up. Your back starts cramping up.
You start losing feeling in your hand.
You're worried more about getting blood flow back to your arms
than you are about your opponent.
[Cole] And again, those massive hands wrapped into…
just tearing into the traps of Batista.
[Layfield] And the longer… the longer Khali has this,
the less Batista has a chance of coming back.
[Cole] And if he keeps this up,
he may not have to apply that Khali Vise Grip.
Did you see the way that Khali…
[Layfield] Khali… Khali keeps this up, Michael,
we're going home early tonight.
[Cole] Did you see the way Khali was almost kneading Batista's traps
like you would do to dough in a pie? Look at this.
Look at the way those fingers are digging into the traps of Batista.
[Layfield] Khali is not a mindless brute.
He knows exactly what he is doing.
[Cole] Those trap muscles putty…
[Layfield] Right now, Khali is dismantling Batista.
This could be a very short World Championship.
[Cole] Batista nearly out.
Referee Mickie Henson is going to check Batista.
And Batista kept the arm up.
If it goes down three times, the match is over,
and Khali would retain the World title.
[Layfield] You finally get a shot with the lights on bright.
Batista's wanted that championship so bad ever since he came back.
-[Cole] Oh! -[Layfield] Here's his opening.
[Cole] Batista showing some life.
And a boot again to the skull of Batista.
Our fans growing restless, obviously disappointed,
as Khali with yet another… another nonchalant cover.
Disappointed with the way that Khali has been dominating in the early going.
[Layfield] Khali is money-butt ugly. Let's just call it what it is.
His offense is not pretty.
The match style is not pretty.
But it is effective.
[Cole] And look at… He… Giant Vise Grip. Going for that Khali Vise Grip.
And Batista, much like on Friday night, blocked it.
Batista knows he's gotta avoid the Khali Vise Grip.
[Layfield] The only shot Batista has is don't let it get on.
[Cole] Batista, the intensity…
Look at this!
-Spinebuster! -[Layfield] Wow, that's big!
[Cole] A spinebuster!
[Layfield] We could see the upset of the century.
[Cole] And Batista showing us signs of life.
[Layfield] You've gotta be kidding me.
He hits this, the place will come unglued.
[Cole] And Khali making sure it didn't happen.
But Batista trying to use some quickness and power
to gain the upper hand against the World Champion.
He's even gonna go to the top rope.
Batista…
Caught by Khali!
Khali catching Batista in midair.
Oh no! The Khali Bomb!
This match is over.
Here's the cover. There's two.
And three-- No!
Batista kicked out.
[Layfield] But I'm not sure what Batista has left.
-[Cole] He kicked out. -[Layfield] You sure it wasn't three?
[Cole] Whether it be on instinct or not.
Damn it!
[Layfield] But I'll tell you this. Batista's got very little left.
Look at Batista.
[Cole] Wait a minute, look at Ranjin Singh.
-The translator tossing a steel chair. -[Layfield] Why?
[Singh] It's okay!
-[Cole] And Khali… -[Layfield] Why would Khali do this?
[Cole] And Khali with the steel chair!
Khali uses the chair!
[bell rings]
Maybe he believed he couldn't beat "The Animal."
Maybe Khali thought it was Batista's night.
[Layfield] That is a 400-lb-plus animal,
man, monster, hitting you with a steel chair.
[inaudible]
[Chimel] Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of this match,
as a result of a disqualification…
-[Cole] Oh come on! -[Chimel] …Batista!
[Cole] What a cheap way to retain the championship for Khali.
[Chimel] Ladies and gentlemen, the championship can only be won
by pinfall or submission,
therefore still World Heavyweight Champion,
The Great Khali!
[Cole] Khali taking the easy way out.
[Layfield] Michael, I don't get it. Khali had the match in hand.
Why in the world would he take a shortcut?
[Cole] Look at this!
Spear!
Spear by "The Animal," as Khali…
Once again, the big man knocked off his feet by Batista.
Khali was gonna use the chair as a weapon again,
and Batista thwarted it.
[Layfield] Batista just knocked the giant off his feet for the second time,
and we got a problem, Houston!
"The Animal"'s got a chair,
and he doesn't have the World Championship.
I have a feeling he's about to get him some.
[Cole] Khali took the easy way out,
and Batista,
the frustration building,
hammering away on Khali.
And the champion deserved this.
[Layfield] Batista just found a way to chop down the big oak.
[yells]
[Cole] Retribution for the past few weeks by Batista,
not only for himself, but for his friend, his mentor, Ric Flair.
Batista, with the emotions overflowing tonight,
took it out on Khali.
[Layfield] But the one thing Batista wanted so bad
was robbed of him by the fact Khali took a shortcut.
[Cole] Exactly, John.
[Layfield] You're a 400-lb man. I gotta call a spade a spade.
You gotta be kidding me.
You take a shortcut like that
in a World Championship?
Batista and these fans deserve better than that.
I damn sure do!
[Cole] I think Khali realized that, after that spinebuster,
tonight may be Batista's night.
Khali felt like he couldn't defeat "The Animal"
and took the easy way, the chicken way out.
[Layfield] But the fact of the matter is, no matter how it happened,
no matter how we got to here,
Khali, right there,
is still your World Champion.
[Cole] And after that matchup, Batista got the big man off of his feet,
and with the frustration oozing out of his pores,
Batista unleashed weeks and weeks of fury on Khali.
[Layfield] Batista finally got him some,
and I don't blame him.
But the problem here, Michael, for SmackDown
is Khali is still the World Champion.
[Cole] The problem is, SmackDown's "Punjabi Nightmare" continues.
He proved one thing. Batista proved he's an "Animal."
-That's it. -I know.
Speaking of animals,
where is that woman?
I've just seen Estrada, and there's a lady here to see you.
-Good. Bring here in. -Well… [sucks teeth]
Does it concern my bastard son or not?
-I… I suppose so. -Bring her in.
Maybe your prayers have been answered, sir.
-They wouldn't be my prayers-- -[Regal] Here we go.
Come on.
Ah.
[Regal sighs]
[chuckles]
What the hell is the meaning of this?
It's not the one with the dodgy womb. It's not the one that had your child.
This lady wants relationships with you
so she can have your bastard son.
[crowd laughing]
Oh, for goodness…
Whoa.
Okay? Don't get--
-[screams] -[Regal] Oh! Oh!
[Coachman] What the…?
[Regal] Dirty mare! Get her off, Coach!
-Get-- Can you help get her off? -[McMahon grunts]
Oh dear!
God, get her off!
-Can you help-- -[spits]
[coughs, splutters]
[gasps]
[Regal] Come on, you bloody old cow, get off!
Oh, get off, you old cow!
[woman 2] Come on, Mae. What's wrong with you? Come on.
Are you crazy?
-[Young groaning] -[McMahon] Get her off me!
Get her off me! Get her… [grunts]
Get! Get her off me!
[Regal] Get off!
Get her… get her out of here!
Get her out of here, damn it!
-Get her out of here! -Come on, you bloody silly old moo!
-Bleurgh! -[Regal] Get her out!
-[Vince coughs] -[Mae groaning]
[coughs, splutters]
Oh my God. Oh…
-Oh my God. -Sir, I tried to get her off of you.
You saw, I helped.
She's as strong as an ox. There's nothing I could have done.
[breathing heavily]
You wouldn't believe…
you wouldn't believe the taste in my mouth.
[crowd laughing]
I got you covered.
Tic Tac, sir?
[crowd laughing]
Hmm.
All right, now…
[sighs]
Well, it… may be a little kinky, but, um…
I kinda liked it.
-[crowd laughing] -I think she turns me on.
That's disgusting, sir.
I guess you've never heard of the expression
"old chicken makes good soup."
[crowd groaning]
[inhales deeply]
[clears throat]
[Ross] I won't ever eat chicken soup again as long as I live.
As we look over New York… Ever eat chicken soup in New York City, King?
[Lawler] No, but I think I saw denture burns on Mr. McMahon!
-Oh! -[Ross] Good lord.
[Ross speaking indistinctly]
Continental Airlines Arena,
17,441 have sold out the 20th edition of SummerSlam.
And this is the main event.
[Lawler] Did Mr. McMahon say it was kinda kinky?
Oh boy!
[Ross] John Cena's journey as WWE Champion
has been both controversial and extraordinary,
but tonight will Cena be a victor or another Orton victim?
[whooshing]
[man] John Cena, he's been champion for nearly a year.
[Cena] The last three times I've had to defend this WWE Championship
have been against future Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels,
seven-foot-four giant The Great Khali,
and at The Great American Bash,
against quite possibly the best pure athlete
this business has ever seen.
[Cole] Cena has held that championship longer than anybody in two decades.
[Cena] Jonathan Coachman can go name his number one contender,
and even with my hands full tonight,
I have a message for whoever that may be.
I'm always right here,
and if you want some,
come get some!
[Ross] Can you believe this?
[Coachman] Ladies and gentlemen,
the new number one contender for the WWE Championship,
Randy Orton!
-[ominous music playing] -[crowd booing]
[Orton] This year at SummerSlam,
the fairy-tale storybook ride that John Cena's been on…
[eerie music playing]
…will be over.
Everybody knows what I'm capable of.
-[Ross] More dangerous. -[Lawler] Pure evil.
[Ross] Sinister.
[Orton] I don't just beat people. [echoing]
I end careers.
[Ross] Randy Orton has become an evil…
[Orton] "Legend…
-[Ross] …dangerous… -[Orton] …"Killer."
[Lawler] Cold as ice.
[Orton] Tonight, another legend dies.
[Lawler] He's analytical.
[Ross] Remorseless.
[Lawler] Devastating.
[Ross] Sadistic.
[Lawler] Sick.
[Ross] Diabolical.
[Cole] And… Oh, Randy Orton! The sneak attack!
[Orton] What I did out there was send John Cena a message,
and that message was loud and clear.
-[Cole] RKO! -[Ross] God Almighty!
[Orton] John Cena has just seen the beginning
of what he's gonna get from Randy Orton.
[Ross] Randy Orton says that SummerSlam is his destiny.
[Orton] Bottom line, Cena, is this.
I'm gonna be your worst nightmare,
because nothing can stop me
from becoming the new WWE Champion!
It is my destiny. [echoing]
[whooshing]
[Randy Orton's theme music playing]
♪ Hey ♪
[Lawler] Do you believe in destiny, JR?
[Ross] Absolutely.
I think a lot of these fans here in the Meadowlands
believe in it as well.
Look at the eyes of the number one contender.
They haven't changed in the last several weeks.
♪ Hey, nothing you can say… ♪
[bell rings]
[Garcia] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the WWE Championship.
Introducing the challenger,
from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing in at 245 lbs,
Randy Orton!
[Lawler] I don't know about you, JR,
but I don't like the look in Randy Orton's eyes.
♪ …To follow ♪
♪ But no one can… ♪
[Ross] Shawn Michaels looked in Randy Orton's eyes,
and that was the last time we saw Shawn Michaels.
Rob Van Dam saw the look in Orton's eyes.
No more Rob Van Dam.
And what about legends like "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
and Sergeant Slaughter?
Those two men, and I stress the word "men,"
looked in Randy Orton's eyes,
and the damage was done.
[Lawler] JR, are you saying when you look into Orton's eyes,
it's like seeing that bright light
that we hear about at the end of your days that you're not supposed to go towards?
[Ross] All I'm saying is that Randy Orton is a "Legend Killer."
[crowd booing]
And the WWE title is three seconds away,
at any time in this match, from Randy Orton.
[John Cena's theme music playing]
-Boo! -Yeah!
♪ Krrrr! Amadou! ♪
[Garcia] And from West Newbury, Massachusetts,
weighing in at 240 lbs,
he is the WWE Champion,
John Cena!
[Ross] The cold-blooded Randy Orton certainly has been remorseless
as it relates to his… his prior victims.
[inaudible]
Orton certainly has the tendencies of a… of a deadly cobra.
And many in this crowd
certainly, uh, almost like a road game for John Cena.
He's got a lot of fans here, no doubt about it.
[Lawler] Orton seemed to have a lot of fans here tonight as well.
[Ross] And you gotta wonder how the fans around the world watching live,
like on Sky Box Office in the UK and in Australia, New Zealand,
our friends in Italy and Germany and so many more countries,
how they might be divided
as it re… as it relates to the loyalties in this match.
A one-fall match for the WWE title.
John Cena has been WWE Champion 24 of the past 27 months,
and Cena's third WWE title reign.
[Lawler] This is truly a worldwide event. You mentioned some of the countries
viewing this great party here tonight, SummerSlam, live.
I know Orton has some fans in Liechtenstein.
I spoke to a meeting of his fan club.
Two of the nicest people you'd ever wanna meet.
[crowd chanting] Cena sucks! Cena sucks!
[Ross] All right, the referee, Mike Chioda,
senior official of the… on Monday Night Raw,
checking both men.
Randy Orton, remember, at the 2004 SummerSlam,
became the youngest world's champion in WWE history
three years ago.
-[bell rings] -The bell sounds.
We are underway with our main event.
A spirited, emotional crowd here in New Jersey, East Rutherford.
[Lawler] This is gonna be fun, JR.
This is gonna be fun.
-Parties are supposed to be fun, right? -[Ross] Absolutely.
This crowd's gonna be up and down more than an Otis elevator.
[Lawler chuckles]
[Ross] Randy Orton. John Cena.
WWE title at stake.
[Lawler] Our fans are buzzing right now. I mean, this…
It's absolutely electric in the air right now.
[crowd booing]
[Ross] Cena with the advantage.
Side headlock.
The powerful John Cena.
Talked to him earlier today. I asked him
if the RKO on the chair eight days ago was gonna have an effect.
He said, "Absolutely not."
No effect whatsoever on Cena's preparation
or this match tonight.
-[Lawler] Well… -[Ross] Side headlock. Nice takedown.
[Lawler] Well, Cena is certainly tough, JR.
You and I and all our great fans know that.
There's no lack of confidence from John Cena,
but John Cena has to feel the reality of this is
that Randy Orton could not only end John Cena's title reign,
He could end his career. We've witnessed that.
[Ross] Look at Cena crimping that neck.
That is a hard… almost a…
Reminds me of the stories I used to read
about Ed "Strangler" Lewis with his side headlock,
beating people with it,
and Cena was crimping the neck with that great upper body strength.
And Orton… You see Orton in discomfort.
-[Lawler] Oh, look at this! -[Ross] Orton back with a side headlock.
[crowd cheering]
To the delight of some of the fans here in, uh…
here at SummerSlam.
-[Lawler] Oh man! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Nice shoulder block by Orton, who's taking his time,
and, uh, takes down the WWE Champion
with that very basic side headlock.
[Lawler] Just watch Randy Orton. Those eyes that we talked about,
Orton never takes his eyes off John Cena.
It's like he's watching his… his prey, so to speak.
[crowd chanting] Cena sucks! Cena sucks!
[Ross] Orton making his fifth SummerSlam appearance,
the fourth for WWE Champion John Cena.
[chanting continues]
Cena creates some separation.
-[Lawler] Hey, hey, hey! -[Ross] Cena looking for the STFU.
The tortuous submission maneuver that Cena has certainly--
[Lawler] Oh wow! What a shot!
[Ross] And Cena walked right into that big-time right hand.
And Orton throwing some heavy rights
and a stomp to the head of John Cena
with the flat of the boot by Randy Orton.
[Lawler] I think Cena may have realized right away
that he might have gone for that STFU a little early in this match.
You're gonna have to do a little more damage
and wear Randy Orton down a little more before he's ready to submit to anything.
[Ross] Orton knows the danger of the STFU.
If Cena can do that, he can do that with anybody.
And right now, well, Cena said, "My head's okay."
"I have no issues."
Well, it looks to me like Cena's got some issues right now.
[Lawler] Right. Randy Orton keeps hammering that head of John Cena,
there'll be a lot of issues. Wow.
[Ross] The human anatomy can only take so many clean shots.
Oh! Big-time European uppercut and another solid right hand.
And John Cena literally holding on.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Cena!
[Ross] A reversal by the champion.
And Orton's handsome features bouncing off the canvas.
The hook of the leg…
And a near-fall!
[Lawler] Boy, and that's how fast the momentum of this match can change.
[Ross] Cena shows great resiliency.
Cena has grit.
Ooh!
But Cena just got set too early,
and a shot right to the back of the head,
a forearm shot to the back of Cena's head,
and now the cover.
Orton's got the cover…
-Two! -[Ross] Uh, a unique cover by Orton.
Nonetheless, it got a near-fall.
[Lawler] None of this is good.
[Ross] Cena trying to shake off the…
that shot to the back of his head from that man, Randy Orton,
who's looking to become the WWE Champion tonight.
[Lawler] Check it out one more time.
Right to the back of John Cena's head, like being hit with a hammer.
-[Ross] Look at this. -[Lawler] Randy Orton, here comes Cena.
[Ross] Cena fighting back…
And Cena left his feet,
obviously, in hindsight, unadvisedly.
And Cena, you gotta wonder just exactly the…
the results of the head shots, King.
[Lawler] And this Orton is like an iceman.
The expression, or lack of expression, on his face
tells a story, JR, and it's a scary story.
-Look out! -[Ross] Good God! John Cena!
His… I think Cena's face just bounced right off our announce table.
-[Lawler] Oh! -[Ross] Cena out on the apron.
-[Lawler] Wow. -[Ross] Cena holding his head.
And it came at him so quickly,
I'm not so sure that…
I know Cena's sternum was across our announce table.
[Lawler] Watch out. Randy Orton's out of the ring, coming this way.
[Ross] Orton doesn't want Cena to be counted out.
-And… -[Lawler] Yeah.
[Ross] And the referee should be, uh, judicious in checking Cena right here.
But no… no opportunity.
The cover.
We may-- No!
"And we may have a new champion," I was about to say.
We did have a near-fall,
but referee Mike Chioda would be well-served
to check John Cena. Randy Orton knows that,
and Orton is not allowing any opportunity for any separation.
[Lawler] Boy, Orton with that reverse chinlock locked in now.
Cena trying desperately to get turned, get…
get out of this thing.
[Ross] Cena fading, and look at Orton, the torque on Orton.
Randy Orton, at six-feet-four, has a decided leverage advantage,
standing above John Cena.
This side headlock acting as a sleeper,
and John Cena is fading away,
and so may Cena's third title reign.
[Lawler] Look at Cena's entire head turning beet red here.
He's…
Much more of this, he's not gonna be able to breathe in there.
[Ross] We said Orton was remorseless.
At this point in time, Orton is relentless.
Look at Cena's neck.
Orton pulling back with everything he's got here,
and the look on Orton's face'll tell you he knows he's in control.
He knows he's three seconds away or a tap-out
from becoming the WWE Champion.
[Lawler] We talked about the look on Randy Orton's face,
but what of the look on Cena's face?
[Ross] Oh, John Cena,
that was a Herculean effort
a lot of guts and will,
the will to compete as Cena made that counter.
[Lawler] Cena saying don't count me out with that big move.
I don't think Randy Orton thought that Cena had that much left in him.
-Oh man! -[Ross] Cena a little overzealous there.
That's just the effort and the aggression of John Cena.
But it may cost you the title.
There's a hook of the leg, and…
Two!
[Ross] Orton…
Orton is, uh, frustrated because he thought he had Cena beat.
It's all about the WWE title.
-[Lawler] Man… Oh man! -[Ross] And, uh, Orton stomping away.
And notice Orton does hit the meeting part of the calf.
Orton right at the joint.
And the joints can be damaged so quickly and so easily,
and it's obvious that any athlete can't respond from a joint injury.
[Lawler] Orton going after the ankles, the lower legs.
-John Cena… -[Ross] And Cena needs his ankles.
He needs his legs
to execute the FU.
And look at Orton.
Orton is just stomping away at any appendage that is exposed,
and now the… right in the, uh… on the wrist.
You see Cena holding his wrist, King.
It wasn't in the biceps. It was in the wrist.
[Lawler] Cena needs a… If I were him, I'd try to get out of the ring and…
[Ross] And that's a sharp shot to the head.
-[Lawler] This is bad. -[Ross] Shot to the head.
[Lawler] Orton so proud of himself right now.
[Ross] Take into consideration
the cumulative effect of these head shots
that have been suffered by John Cena.
[Lawler] And Orton turning Cena's head to the…
to the left, exposing his temple,
but nobody home there.
[Ross] Orton was calculating
and calculated, obviously, a second or two too long.
And John Cena now… running on adrenalin.
[Lawler] Look out!
[Ross] And a powerslam!
Cena, the… the air may be gone.
The championship may be as well,
as Cena shows resilience and heart.
But Orton is clearly in the driver's seat
in this battle for the prestigious WWE title.
[Lawler] Man, and his… Look at Orton
on John Cena, reminiscent of, like, a boa constrictor, JR,
wrapping his… his head and neck up,
trying to get his legs around Cena's body.
[Ross] Randy Orton restricting the…
the flow of blood, the oxygen to the brain of John Cena.
Cena is trying to…
For an athlete like John Cena, any WWE Superstar,
their fuel is their oxygen.
Their fuel is their oxygen,
and that's what Randy Orton is trying to cut off here.
[Lawler] And listen to our fans, JR, over 17,00 strong.
"Let's go, Orton!" "Let's go, Cena!"
I love this. This is great.
[Ross] Cena trying to power… trying to power out of this predicament
from the viper-like Randy Orton,
who has… Now, Cena… He didn't get all that one.
-Oh, but Orton got all of that dropkick! -[Lawler] Oh!
[Ross] Right to the face, and Orton may win the title with a dropkick.
He's got him…
Well, that's multiple near-falls
created by the number one contender, Randy Orton,
in this match.
And Cena, you see him there shaking his head.
[Lawler] Check out the velocity of this dropkick.
Man!
[Ross] But Cena fights back.
Orton retaliates.
What a matchup!
John Cena just… He's not gonna go away, no doubt about that,
for Randy Orton or anybody.
-[Lawler] Right. -[Ross] And now Orton with a sleeper.
And Cena responding.
Quickly tried the back suplex. Couldn't get it done.
Cena was in a predicament. He knew it. He felt it.
Tried a back suplex. Couldn't get it done.
Advantage, Randy Orton.
[Lawler] I'm gonna tell you something. Orton is impressing me, JR.
This is… this is what the WWE Championship is all about.
These two young men putting it all on the line,
giving their all. Look at the intensity here.
[Ross] Again, look at the… look at the angle of Cena's head and neck.
[Lawler] It's like… it's like Orton is trying to wrench Cenas head
right off his body.
Look at that. It's like a boa constrictor there, JR.
-Look at this. -[Ross] Orton using those long legs.
You can bet that John Cena's not gonna tap out.
I don't think that Randy Orton, on this night, will tap out.
The other man won't give up, so
the outcome of this match is…
[Lawler] John Cena may not tap out, but John Cena could pass out
after much more of this.
[Ross] King, look at the position of Randy Orton's…
the body scissors and the sleeper.
Has the effect of a double move… a dual move.
[Lawler] It just… it just all helps to drain the strength
out of John Cena. That's what Orton is… That's all that this is about.
Cut off his oxygen.
Make it hard to breathe.
Restrict the diaphragm. Make it hard to breathe.
-[Ross] And-- -[Lawler] Look at Cena's face!
[Ross] Cena's face a… a crimson red
in this bedlam battle.
And Cena's strength is what brought him to the dance.
[Lawler] Well, it's desperation time for John Cena.
He's gotta do something to get out of this.
[Ross] Well, what do you do with Orton?
You've got… Oh!
Well, there's the answer.
Cena, out of desperation, drove Orton into the nearest corner Cena could find.
[Lawler] Oh, blocked.
[Ross] Cena with… using his left hand and a big-time right.
Big right and the shoulder block.
The pace quickens. Cena with an adrenalin rush here
with the WWE title on the line
-[Lawler] Oh! -[Ross] Powerhouse.
The powerful John Cena,
an enigma as WWE Champion.
[Lawler] You're right, because you gotta wonder,
where does John Cena reach to pull this out?
Where does he get this?
"Randy Orton, you can't see me!"
Here comes a little Five-Knuckle Shuffle,
courtesy of the champ.
Oh!
[Ross] Cena scores with his right hand.
And the--
Oh, the elbow countered.
Oh, what a big right hand! You could hear the smack.
[Lawler] Good. Oh, look out!
[Ross] Inverted backbreaker. Orton with the advantage.
Orton countered the FU attempt
with two elbows to the head.
A stress to the head, and then this,
this inverted backbreaker. Look at the eyes again of the…
this remorseless, cold-blooded number one contender,
albeit so damn talented.
-[Lawler] Well… -[Ross] Boom!
[Lawler] We saw a moment ago…
We've seen John Cena's head snap. We saw it a moment ago.
[Ross] Oh, watch this. You talk about concussed.
-[Lawler] Uh-oh. -[Ross] Concussion City.
[Lawler] Not good.
Oh goodness!
[Ross] Good God, that ought to do it.
That ought to do it right there.
How's John… There's a cover.
And Cena reaches down
into the depths of his soul to kick out of that one.
-But Randy Orton not getting frustrated. -[Lawler] That's what I was about to say.
You… you would think that some… something would show on this man's face.
Some kind of emotion, some frustration.
But he's an iceman. Look at him, JR.
Orton has no conscience.
He has one goal.
The cold-blooded third-generation star…
[Lawler] Uh-oh.
[Ross] …wants to notch his gun one more time.
And look at this.
[Lawler] There's a sinister, evil expression on his face now, JR.
[Ross] Orton is viper-like.
Orton's soul dripping with malice.
[Lawler] He is cocked and loaded,
just waiting for John Cena to… to pull himself up
so that Orton can deliver the RKO.
[Ross] The three dirtiest letters in the WWE,
as far as John Cena's concerned right now.
[Lawler] Stay down, John! Stay down!
[Ross] Orton looking for--
-[Lawler] Blocked! -[Ross] RKO blocked.
-[Lawler] Look out! -[Ross] Cena's momentum…
Cena could not stop.
Cena's momentum took him over the top rope.
Cena reaching back and holding… grabbing his leg.
Orton outmaneuvered Cena,
as a groggy Cena couldn't find his mark.
[Lawler] Cena's leg may be injured here.
[Ross] That… Look out, look out!
Oh!
Shades of the Saturday Night's Main Event
in Madison Square Garden.
Ironically, we're in the shadows of New York City
here in East Rutherford, New Jersey at SummerSlam.
And John Cena, this may be aca--
-Wait a minute. -[Lawler] Well…
[Ross] What is… Cena's out.
Cena looks to be out on his…
[Lawler] We all know your brain controls every movement of your body,
and when your brain is damaged,
I mean, it affects everything about your… your equilibrium,
everything is affected.
[Ross] Referee up to eight. Academic. He may have it.
Randy Orton-- No!
Good gosh almighty!
Now I gotta believe Randy Orton's gotta be thinking,
"What in the hell have I gotta do to beat John Cena?"
And Cena is distancing himself,
so that tells me Cena has, uh… has some ring presence still about him, King.
[Lawler] I agree, but how much more gas is left in the tank of John Cena?
Here he comes again. It's amazing!
Look at this!
[Ross] The resilient John Cena almost robotic-like
in the fact that he just keeps coming forward,
just keeps competing.
[Lawler] He's like the Terminator, JR!
[Ross] Cena on the outside of the ring.
You think Cena even knows exact--
Well, I guess he--
[Lawler] I don't know, but I don't think this is a good idea.
Oh!
[Ross] A big right hand,
and Cena in a vulnerable position,
up there in no-man's-land on the top turnbuckle,
with the WWE title at stake here.
-[Lawler] Oh. -[Ross] And that uppercut…
Cena can't defend himself. Cena's gotta try to hold on.
[Lawler] You're right. He needs to get down from there.
But maybe not this way.
[Ross] Cena was gonna go for all-or-nothing,
and, uh… and now Randy Orton has got the upper hand.
Randy Orton has taken advantage of the grogginess,
the physical condition of Cena's head.
But look at this.
[Lawler] That's the condition that Orton has inflicted on John Cena.
[Ross] Look at Cena's strength!
[Lawler] Well, Cena knows what Orton wants to do,
and he's trying desperately to keep Orton from doing.
Listen to Cena! Look out!
[Ross] The entire match may hinge on this sequence of maneuvers.
-[Lawler] Oh my! -[Ross] The high risk paid off.
Will that be the turning point?
The leg drop off the top.
Orton now is in trouble. Orton is on Dream Street.
[Lawler] He's in big trouble.
F-- Whoa.
[Ross] FU!
Orton holding onto the top ropes, blocking the FU.
And now to the outside… Oh gosh!
Oh, Cena's head.
John Cena's head just bounced off the canvas like a basketball.
[Lawler] We have talked about the strength of John Cena,
but what about the strength of Randy Orton,
grasping and hanging on desperately to that top rope?
-[Chioda] Stay off that rope. -[Lawler] We have all been…
[Chioda] Listen up, Orton.
[Ross] Cena's head bounced off the canvas
in a sickening thud of a fashion.
[Lawler] Orton being reprimanded for something by the… by the referee,
but now once again,
Orton lying in wait.
[Ross] Randy Orton… What a match this has been.
These men professing the philosophy that losing is the great American sin,
and winning is what it's all about.
And when the WWE title's on the line,
you see this kind of amazing, magnificent effort between two--
[Lawler] Oh, JR, JR, look.
I think Orton was thinking about the RKO,
and I'm just trying to read that… that devious mind of his.
I think he's changed his mind, and he is looking to punt John Cena.
[Ross] Orton going in punt formation.
[Lawler] Right out of the WWE.
And certainly the WWE title.
-No! -[Ross] John Cena…
[Lawler exclaims]
Orton
caught in the STFU!
Cena's got Orton caught in the STFU!
[Lawler] It's locked in!
[Ross] Orton… Maybe Orton should have gone for the RKO.
Orton was thinking about punting… turning Cena's lights out.
And now look at Cena straining,
straining!
And Orton fighting and fighting.
The WWE title hinges, perhaps, on this very exchange.
[Lawler] Look at Orton absolutely clawing,
grinding into that rope!
[Ross] Oh!
Randy Orton showing great resilience,
but the pride and the passion of these two athletes
competing for the WWE title
was never more evident in that last series.
-[Lawler] Oh no! -[Ross] There it is!
-RKO! -[Lawler] Out of nowhere!
[Ross] Orton got the RKO, but I think he hurt his left knee.
[Lawler] It doesn't matter. Cena's out!
Cena's gone.
Orton got the cover.
Got the RK-- Yes! Oh my God!
-[Lawler] Oh man! -[Ross] My God, how close was that?
[Lawler] Oh man!
[Ross] I swear that I thought Orton got the three.
Well, the referee was in perfect position.
Orton hits his RKO,
was a little delayed on making the cover.
[Lawler] I know Orton did something to, I think, his left knee there.
But if he hits another RKO, that's gonna be it.
Hey, wait a minute!
[Ross] Cena, the power!
FU time!
Oh…
-[Lawler] He did it! -[bell rings]
[Ross] The party is over for Randy Orton at SummerSlam.
♪ My time is now ♪
♪ It's the franchise… ♪
[Garcia] Here is your winner
and still the WWE Champion,
John Cena!
[Lawler] What a match, JR!
What a match!
[Ross] One of the most stimulating, scintillating,
sensational WWE title matches,
King, I can remember calling in years and years!
[Lawler] Oh man!
[Ross] Man, John Cena…
-[Lawler] He knows he's been in a war. -[Ross] You're damn right he knows.
John Cena knows that he has been through the battle of his life.
Randy Orton tweaking that knee after hitting the RKO
and inadvertently gave Cena a reprieve, I think.
What you can't take anything away from,
Cena's guts and his grit and fortitude.
♪ My time is now ♪
♪ It's the franchise Boy, I'm shining now… ♪
[Lawler] Well, "The Biggest Party of the Summer,"
that may be one of the biggest victories of the career for John Cena.
Yeah!
♪ Uh, it's a war dance and victory step ♪
♪ Of all stances, a gift… ♪
[Ross] Randy Orton did not go for the RKO here but the punt.
[Lawler] Yeah, and missing that punt, might have been the beginning of the end,
because this did some serious damage.
[Ross] Orton… Orton got out of the STFU by getting to the ropes.
But you see the RKO. You see Orton immediately hold his knee.
[Lawler] Yeah, I thought Cena was done,
but then, as quickly as Orton hit the RKO,
Cena hits the FU,
and… let the party begin for John Cena.
[Ross] It was a three-second turnaround,
a three-second turnaround that gave John Cena the victory,
and John Cena wins.
At "The Biggest Party of the Summer,"
John Cena still the WWE Champion.
[Lawler] What a night.
♪ My time is now ♪
♪ It's the franchise Boy, I'm shining now ♪
♪ You can't see me My time is now… ♪
[music fades] see me My time is now… ♪